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A SPECIAL OFFER OF VERY SPECIAL RESERVE MADEIRAS
Once upon a time, Madeira was the wine of choice in the New World, that is, the "Colonies", from Savannah to Boston, where Madeira clubs flourished among the die-hards for over 200 years. Madeira was also the favorite wine of 17th and 18th century wayfaring seamen, who would make a pit-stop at the island of Madeira off the western African coast on their way to Brazil, India or the far east. They found that months at sea in aerobic casks in the hot holds of ships crossing the Equator oxidized and heated the fortified wines of Madeira, giving them their distinctive character. And a style was born.
In the late 1800s, successive plagues of oidium and phylloxera wiped out the island vineyards of the distinctive Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malmsey grapes and devastated Madeira production, and the traditions of Madeira wine drifted into obscurity as land was re-planted with fruit orchards and other crops. A few vineyards were re-established but most farmers avoided the four noble grape varieties and "Madeira" producers resorted to wine production using non-traditional grapes and methods.
Just a handful of tradition-minded winemakers took the trouble to re-establish Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malmsey vineyards and resume wine production using the old-fashioned methods of loooooooong barrel aging in heated lofts, or estufas,that had been used for centuries to give Madeira its traditional toffee/caramel, oxidative character so beloved by the handful of remaining modern day Madeira aficionados.
Because of its soaring acidity and richness, Madeira can be enjoyed with the meal and certainly afterwards with nuts, fruit, stinky cheese and your favorite Churchill. And because it takes on its character from its long aerobic and heated storage environment, it is essentially indestructible, so you can enjoy small pours from your bottle of Madeira for weeks, and months if you have the willpower.
The importer here, The Rare Wine Co., has worked with the island's premier Madeira producer and owner of the largest library of old Madeira stocks to blend four wines featuring vintage collections of Madeiras made from the four noble grape varieties and has bottled and named them for four of the eastern cities where Madeira was the most revered wine.
NV Charleston Sercial Special Reserve Madeira ("Like a salted caramel without its sugar."- Alice Feiring)
This is the driest wine in the series and a wine that has been served throughout meals in America for nearly 300 years. Chef Mario Batali won over 1000+ guests at the 2009 New York Wine Experience by boldly pairing Charleston Sercial with a wild boar dish of Wolfgang Puck's creation. Just two weeks later, in The Wall Street Journal, Alice Feiring picked the same Madeira as a wine of choice for chestnut soup, noting that it "is like a salted caramel without its sugar." But Mario and Alice were not the first to discover Charleston Sercial's charms. In 2005, Grant Achatz, whom many believe is America's most inventive chef, attracted national press for his cutting-edge pairings of Charleston Sercial with dishes at Alinea in Chicago.
From Josh Reynolds in Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Medium amber. Gingerbread, orange zest, clove, blond tobacco and honey on the nose. Spicy citrus and poached pear flavors are lifted by zesty acidity and show a gentle smoky quality on the back end. Blends sweetness and dryness smoothly, finishing with good nervy cut, a jolt of fleur de sel and lingering smoke, citrus and spice notes." (92 points)
NV Savannah Verdelho Special Reserve Madeira ("A mouth-filling personality, with a luscious texture and a salt-sea aroma." -- Elin McCoy, Bloomberg)
Released in April 2010, Savannah Verdelho is simply incredible, its bouquet exuding orange zest and buttery shortbread with hints of ginger, milk chocolate and almonds. Lightly sweet with zesty acidity to keep it fresh, the palate reveals notes of candied citrus, ginger and spicy honey. The finish sharpens all of the above into a refreshing and palate-cleansing blend of spiciness and citrus sweetness.
From Josh Reynolds in Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Medium amber with a green rim. Aromas of burnt orange, tobacco, toffee and herbs, with a hint of potpourri adding an exotic component. Broader and deeper than the Charleston, offering sappy orange marmalade, chestnut honey and toffee flavors underscored by tangy acidity. Shows a sweet, nutty quality on the smoky, gently spicy finish. I like this wine's heft and thrust." (93 points)
NV Boston Bual Special Reserve Madeira ("A spectacular aroma of dark sugar and orange." - Frank Prial, The New York Times)
Noticeably sweeter than Charleston Sercial and Savannah Verdelho, Boston Bual still boasts remarkable balance and refreshing acidity. The hallmark of this wine is its otherworldly complexity, featuring cinnamon-clove spiciness with overtones of citrus peal and woodsmoke. There is just enough sweetness to excel as an after-dinner wine, but its long, dry finish also makes it work beautifully with food.
Port and Madeira expert Roy Hersh has written that Boston Bual "emulates some of the finest qualities of vintage Madeira" exhibiting a light amber-tawny color and a nose of dried figs, walnuts, maple syrup, mahogany and a sense of bouillon cube; the mélange of fragrances is complex and compelling. Medium in weight initially, it develops greater heft after a few days open, with a rich and sumptuous mouthfeel."
From Josh Reynolds in Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Light, bright amber. Deep aromas of cherry pit, candied orange, toffee and molasses, lifted by a note of dried rose. Chewy in texture, with dry-edged nut and burnt orange flavors, a touch of molasses sugar and good back-end grip. Quite sweet but the wine's acidity adds focus, nerve and finishing bite." (92 points)
NV New York Malmsey Special Reserve Madeira ("Incredibly rich, with dark fruitcake flavors and dry spice that balances its sweetness." - Food & Wine Magazine)
This, the sweetest wine of the Series, finished in the 'Top 100 wines of 2006' in The Wine Enthusiast's report. It wrote that it "unfolds slowly in the glass, gradually revealing layers of depth and flavor. Coffee, toffee and date notes emerge, followed by earthy, almost truffley flavors. Powerful and assertive on the long finish."
New York Malmsey demonstrates why Madeira can be one of the planet's greatest dessert wines. It marries with an astonishing number of desserts, its kaleidoscopic flavors bonding with chocolate, nuts, citrus and dark fruits. But it can also be served during the meal, with foie gras, sweetbreads and almost any dish that has a rich, sweet sauce.
From Josh Reynolds in Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Medium amber. Powerfully scented bouquet combines cherry compote, cola, molasses, pipe tobacco and brown sugar. Lush and expansive in the mouth, offering sweet pit fruit and orange marmalade flavors and a deeper note of espresso. Clings tenaciously on the finish, which leaves notes of bitter cherry and candied flowers behind." (92 points)
Each bottle of Madeira costs $49.99 alone; however, Madeira lovers will want to consider our offer to package one bottle of each of the four Madeiras into a set for $159.97, a savings of $40. Our supply is limited, and if you would like to purchase either a bottle or two or a set of the four different Madeiras, please reply to this email, call us at 828.898.9424 or inquire next visit to the store. These wines are in stock now.
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