Borges, Malvazia Over 40 YO Madeira

Bottled in 2017. Decanted 24hrs. Mid amber. Dusty, spirity nose.Full and rich on the palate but only medium sweetness despite the 'Doce/Rich' description on the label. Tastes of that burnt bit on the top of your creme brulee but finishes whistle clean with some mouth puckering acidity. Again, that creme brulee taste lingering long after the wine has gone. I think like many Madeira fans I am guilty of looking down my nose sometimes at Tinta Negra but I have …

Pink-tinged amber in the glass. Stone fruits and raison on the nose, a light medicinal note. Plenty of dried fruit notes on the palate with a nice degree of sweetness, though with that telltale Madeira acidity keeping it fresh. Lacking a bit in concentration and complexity, it is still a rather lovely wine and one that I would serve with hard cheeses or a hearty pudding.

The wine is made with purchased Tinta Negra grapes from Estreito de Câmara de Lobos. The grapes are first macerated with the skins, followed by a brief fermentation of a few days. The must is rectified to approx. 20% ABV with 96% ABV grape spirit to halt the fermentation, after which the fortified wine is transferred to old 650-liter French oak casks. The wine is aged in Canteiros , ie. in warm warehouses, in which the wines age in casks …