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D'Oliveira
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D'Oliveira Information Sheet
Long Live Madeira from The Art of Eating
Country of Origin: Portugal
Location: Funchal
People: Anibal & Luis d'Oliveira, Owners & Winemakers
Supplier: http://www.rarewineco.com


D'Oliveira is one of the greatest of the classic Madeira shippers, and one of the few to survive from the pre-phylloxera era. Founded in 1820, and today housed in cellars that date from 1619, this small jewel of a company is still owned by the same family, its vineyard holdings built up over time through a series of marriages with other wine-producing families.

But what is really extraordinary is that D'Olivera has held on to many of its most famous vintages, creating a unique, and irreplaceable, stock of old wines. And remarkably they are all D'Oliveira wines, not purchased from other shippers or growers.

Thus, whether an 1862 Sercial or a 1922 Bual, all were produced by the D'Oliveiras and their ancestors, and generally from their own vineyards in São Martinho, one of the great viticultural sites in Madeira, lying just to the west of Funchal along the island's south coast.

D'Olivera's house style can best be characterized by very powerful aromatics, great lushness and viscosity, incredible structure, and a tangy character that is essential to the finest wines of the 18th and 19th centuries. As is typical of the most traditional of houses, wines are kept in cask and bottled according to demand. We are delighted to be able to offer you a wide selection of vintages through our partner, The Rare Wine Company. Most are Stateside in California and can be special-ordered via 2-day air shipment.


"It was in 1850 that Joao Pereira d’Oliveira founded his company. He initially sold wines to other shippers, and it was not until the 1970s that they began to sell Madeira wines under their own label (though they continued to sell and buy lots, to and from other shippers.) It is a small company, but there are plentiful stocks of reserve wines. Their policy is to bottle on demand, which means their vintage wines can invariably benefit from extended cask aging. Let us begin with their reserve wines, which are mainly Tinta Negra Mole and are matured under estufugem." - Wine Advocate 2012
Items
D'Oliveira 1908 Bual, Madeira DOC Net Price Reviews —
D'Oliveira 1922 Bual, Madeira DOC Net Price Reviews —
D'Oliveira 1958 Bual, Madeira DOC Net Price Reviews —
D'Oliveira 1968 Bual, Madeira DOC Net Price Reviews —
D'Oliveira 1977 Bual, Madeira DOC Net Price Reviews —
D'Oliveira 1983 Bual, Madeira DOC Net Price Reviews —
D'Oliveira 1989 Malvasia, Madeira DOC Net Price — —
D'Oliveira 1969 Sercial, Madeira DOC Net Price Reviews —
D'Oliveira 1971 Sercial Net Price Reviews —
D'Oliveira 1988 Terrantez, Madeira DOC Net Price Reviews —
D'Oliveira 1912 Verdelho, Madeira DOC Net Price Reviews —
D'Oliveira 1973 Verdelho, Madeira DOC Net Price Reviews —
Reviews
D'Oliveira 1908 Bual, Madeira DOC
Rating: 92

The 1908 Boal is deep amber in color. The nose is quite strict and linear with an attractive chlorophyl aroma intermixed with scents of cockleshell and seaweed emerging from the depths. It retains that quasi-Barsac persona. The palate is well-balanced on the entry with a strong, quite severe oxidative streak that tempers this Boal towards the finish. It has attractive purity, but this bottle does not really let itself go like I know it can Still, this is a great Boal. 

- The Wine Advocate (8/31/2012)

D'Oliveira 1908 Bual, Madeira DOC
Rating: 94

Bottled in 2008, this actually reminds me of a mature Barsac on the nose. Well defined with dried apricot, red cherry, a touch of walnut and nutmeg. Very refined. The palate is medium-bodied, slightly viscous on the entry with dried honey, apricot, marmalade and Seville orange. Not the weight of some of the coeval Madeira, but amazing persistency and elegance. Lovely. - Neal Martin, Wine Journal

- The Wine Advocate (4/1/2010)

D'Oliveira 1908 Bual, Madeira DOC
Rating: 94

The 1908 Boal Reserva from D'Oliveiras is an unctuous, full-bodied wine loaded with dark maple syrup, tar, leather, licorice and sweet baking spices. There is superb density here and the wine shows terrific length in an intense style. The finish is long, bright and sweet

- The Wine Advocate (11/1/2008)

D'Oliveira 1912 Verdelho, Madeira DOC
Rating: 98

This vintage hails exclusively from the d’Oliveira family’s historic São Martinho vineyard high up in the hills overlooking Câmara de Lobos and it is clearly one of the most brilliant bottles of Madeira I have ever had the pleasure to taste (I cannot believe I have had the good fortune to drink this wine on three occasions in the last couple of years!), as it is majestic on both the nose and palate. The wine was bottled in 2008. The utterly brilliant nose soars from the glass in a very complex constellation of cherries, oranges, molasses, lavender, exotic spice tones, rancio, a touch of wild fennel, spiced meats, cigar smoke and a lovely and complex base of salty soil. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and simply explosive, with flawless focus and balance, tangy acids, magical complexity and simply stunning length and grip on the very pure, very elegant and still powerfully vibrant finish. What a magical wine! 2014-2100+.

- John Gilman View from the Cellar (3/1/2014)

D'Oliveira 1912 Verdelho, Madeira DOC
Rating: 91

Aged for 95 years in the warehouse at Rua Visconde do Anadia, this bottle of 1912 Verdelho was better than the one encountered on the island in April 2010. It was the last family bottling from San Martinho, which was renowned for its Verdelho and is now urbanized. Here, it has a complex bouquet of mandarin, toffee apple, wood resin and a touch of marmalade. The palate is medium-bodied with an elegant entry, very good acidity and a long, bitter orange finish. This is drinking perfectly now and should continue to age over the next 30 to 40-years. 

- The Wine Advocate (8/31/2012)

D'Oliveira 1912 Verdelho, Madeira DOC
Rating: 88

Aged for 95 years in the warehouse at Rua Visconde do Anadia, this has a lifted bouquet of dried mango, apricot, sea salt, toffee apple and quince _ still fresh and vibrant. The palate is quite feminine and understated with notes of caramel, smoke, walnut and a torrefactory finish, which seems to be drying out a little, fraying at the seams. - Neal Martin, Wine Journal

- The Wine Advocate (4/1/2010)

D'Oliveira 1922 Bual, Madeira DOC
Rating: 96

The 1922 Boal from d’Oliveira was bottled in 1999 and is an absolutely fabulous glass of Madeira. The brilliant nose soars from the glass in a refined and powerful blend of baked peaches, fresh figs, Cuban cigars, savory elements of fresh rosemary and celery seed, a nice touch of caramelized banana, sweet nutty tones and a bit of bergamot. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bdoied, complex and absolutely bottomless at the core, with brisk acids, laser-like focus, seamless balance and simply stunning length and grip on the complex and hauntingly profound finish. A great, great wine. 2014-2100.

- John Gilman View from the Cellar (3/1/2014)

D'Oliveira 1958 Bual, Madeira DOC
Rating: 91-93+

The 1958 Boal from Pereira d’Oliveira had only been bottled a very, very short time before my visit to the island in mid-February, so the wine was still under its post-bottling period of shock and I may have been misreading its quality a bit. The bouquet is quite lovely, as it wafts from the glass in a mix of cherries, tangerine, cloves, lavender, charred wood, orange peel and a touch of molasses. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite powerful in personality, with a slightly aggressive character to its structure at the present time (effects of the recent mise?), with a fine core and superb length and grip on the tangy finish. I have to imagine that this wine is just cranky from its recent bottling (after all, it had spent fifty-six years in far more commodious surroundings in its cask) and the wine is even better than my score would indicate. 2014-2100.

- John Gilman View from the Cellar (3/1/2014)

D'Oliveira 1958 Bual, Madeira DOC
Rating: 90

The 1958 Boal is another ex-Adegas do Torreao Madeira. It has a delicate bouquet with orange peel, marmalade, tree sap and molasses that enlivens with each swirl of the glass, drawing you into its charms. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity and very fine tannins. It is very pure and elegant with wonderful balance and harmony towards the marmalade, orange peel, espresso and spice-tinged finish. This is a delightful, more feminine Boal. 

- The Wine Advocate (8/31/2012)

D'Oliveira 1968 Bual, Madeira DOC
Rating: 94

This is a really complex and classy bottle of Bual that is very pure and expressive, as it offers up a deep and vibrant nose of orange peel, golden raisins, heather, a beautifully complex and very salty base of soil, spiced meats and a lovely dollop of rancio as a topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and complex, with a fine core of fruit, excellent focus and grip and a very long, bright and perfectly balanced finish where the sweetness is effortlessly carried by the ripe and very well-integrated acids. Lovely juice. I should note that I tasted this same wine from an earlier bottling back in 2011 and liked the wine very much at that time, but gave this more recent bottling tasted at the lodge a point higher score, which I think underscores how these wines get incrementally better with each subsequent bottling at the domaine. 2014- 2100.

- John Gilman View from the Cellar (3/1/2014)

D'Oliveira 1968 Bual, Madeira DOC
Rating: 87

The 1968 Boal appears to show a lot of bottle variation. This recent sample has a light bouquet of beeswax and dried quince although it is not quite as clean as I would like. The palate is better with orange rind, marmalade and mandarin. It is quite masculine for a Boal, strict but focused on the sedate finish. 

- The Wine Advocate (8/31/2012)

D'Oliveira 1968 Bual, Madeira DOC
Rating: 94

Produced from the southwest part of the island and spending over 40-years in old oak casks, this '68 was bottled in 2009 and is far superior to previous bottlings. This has a very sensuous nose, well defined and tightly wound, unfurling to reveal molasses, quince, scorched earth and a touch of leather. Very subtle. The palate is mediumbodied with good tension, fine acidity and balance, very subtle towards the finish with dried orange peel, nutmeg, a sprinkle of cardamom and walnut. Harmonious and graceful, this is a beautiful d'Oliveira. - Neal Martin, Wine Journal

- The Wine Advocate (4/1/2010)

D'Oliveira 1968 Bual, Madeira DOC
Rating: 93

The 1968 D'Oliveiras Reserva Boal is a medium-bodied, elegant wine that features high-toned aromas and flavors, with subtle notes of smoke and tar adding complexity. This is an unusually understated showing for the 1968 Boal

- The Wine Advocate (11/1/2008)

D'Oliveira 1969 Sercial, Madeira DOC
Rating: 94+

The 1969 Sercial from d’Oliveira was bottled in 2008, with the casks having been part of the purchased the historic cellars of Adega do Torreão in 2002. The wine is really stunning on 186 the nose, soaring from the glass in a beautiful blend of leather, caramel, a touch of orange peel, sweet almonds, cinnamon, cherries, a really lovely base of soil and a delicate topnote of rancio. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very elegant in profile, with the powerful personality of youth, great focus and mid-palate intensity and outstanding focus and grip on the very long, tangy and perfectly balanced finish. By Madeira standards, this is still a fairly young wine, but I have absolutely no difficulties drinking it today! A really superb and refined bottle. 2010-2150+.

- John Gilman View from the Cellar (3/1/2014)

D'Oliveira 1969 Sercial, Madeira DOC
Rating: 92

The 1969 Sercial is also ex-Adegas do Torreao and, again, the quality shows through. It has a comparatively straightforward bouquet of honey, white chocolate, rosewater and a touch of honeysuckle. It opens nicely with aeration. The palate is delicate, but nicely composed on the entry with impressive weight and volume. There is a cutting seam of fresh ginger that is neatly interwoven into flavors of marmalade and Satsuma fruit. It softens nicely towards the finish without losing freshness and delineation. 

- The Wine Advocate (8/31/2012)

D'Oliveira 1971 Sercial
Rating: 94

The 1971 d’Oliveira’s Sercial Reserva (this designation was abolished for vintage-dated bottlings in 2010, but could still be used on wines that were bottled prior to this time) is a stunningly elegant and complex wine. The utterly refined aromatic constellation wafts from the glass in a blend of tangerine, lemon grass, cloves, rancio, cigar smoke and a lovely base of salty soil tones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and supremely elegant, with lovely mid-palate concentration, tangy, seamless acidity and great elegance and breed on the long, complex and dancing finish. This is a very, very fine bottle of Sercial. 2014-2100.

- John Gilman View from the Cellar (3/1/2014)

D'Oliveira 1973 Verdelho, Madeira DOC
Rating: 89

The 1973 Verdelho has fine definition and focus on the nose with light resin and honeycomb aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity with lightly honeyed fruit, white pepper, freshly shaved ginger and spice. There is fine weight and composure on the finish with that ginger tang lingering on the aftertaste. This is very attractive. 

- The Wine Advocate (8/31/2012)

D'Oliveira 1977 Bual, Madeira DOC
Rating: 94

The 1977 D’Oliveiras Boal Reserva reveals superb depth and precision in its leather, spices, toffee and espresso. Smooth and remarkably balanced on the palate, this Madeira offers tons of length and plenty of style.

- The Wine Advocate (11/1/2008)

D'Oliveira 1983 Bual, Madeira DOC
Rating: 87

The 1983 Boal has a straightforward nougat and toffee apple-scented bouquet infused with wood resin aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with toffee, spice and tangy marmalade on the entry. It is a conservative, mild-mannered Boal with a well-crafted, crisp finish that is satisfying, if not memorable. I recall superior bottles of this several years ago, and I suspect there are better examples out there. 

- The Wine Advocate (8/31/2012)

D'Oliveira 1988 Terrantez, Madeira DOC
Rating: 92

The 1988 Terrantez from Pereira d’Oliveira is an excellent wine. The superb nose wafts from the glass in a complex mixture of raspberries, leather, honey cake, salty soil tones, a potpourri of spices, orange zest, a touch of molasses and a topnote of lavender. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and beautifully balanced, with a lovely core, fine focus and a very long, tangy finish. The 1971 Terrantez from d’Oliveira is more transparent than this wine, but I wonder if that character will start to emerge as this wine has an opportunity to evolve in bottle? A fine wine. 2014-2100.

- John Gilman View from the Cellar (3/1/2014)

D'Oliveira 1988 Terrantez, Madeira DOC
Rating: 87

The 1988 Terrantez lacks a little clarity on the nose with smudged toffee-tinged aromas. The palate is soft and caressing in the mouth. It is missing a little presence, but the walnut-tinged finish is pure and pleasing.

- The Wine Advocate (8/31/2012)

D'Oliveira 1988 Terrantez, Madeira DOC
Rating: 93

The D'Oliveiras 1988 Terrantez is a wine that invites a moment of quiet contemplation, making it the perfect wine with which to end this incredible tasting. There is a highly attractive creaminess as layers of roasted nuts, cloves and leather open up in the glass. This generous, sweet Terrantez offers outstanding length, with lingering notes of sweetness and acidity that intermingled on the, intensely satisfying finish

- The Wine Advocate (11/1/2008)