Cossart Gordon, Colheita Bual Madeira

It's an old bottle, judging from the label saying the contents are 25/32 quart, and the alcohol of 16%. I tried to find out what was in the bottle from the producer, but they clearly don't know. They didn't recognize the name, so they asked me to send them photos of the bottle. They finally told me that it was a "5-year sweet wine" made from the Tinta Negra Mole grape. This is definitely not a 5-year sweet wine. The …

Excellent caramel and nuts

When I first opened this I was taken by a wondeful smell of carmel coming from the bottle. It has a very elegant amber color and that nose is still there. A nose of almonds, carmel, cloves (?) maybe, and a slight but nice wood-like smell. A smooth slide past the front of the tounge then a bit of warmth starts to fill the mouth. Tastes of toffee and nuts. The finish is where this starts to get even better. …

My first Madeira, but not my last! Will explore this wine in the future. This was the perfect accompaniment to a cheese plate and apple tart at Savory Restaurant in Encinitas, CA. Just the right sweetness, nice color, a hint of red/brown, and a nutty flavor profile. Four of us left a little in the bottle for our server. Hope she enjoyed it as much as everyone else.

VA on nose; toasted almond; lemon, almond, with good acidity; medium finish 88+ pts.