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Item Number: 2755
UPC: None
Country: Portugal
Region: Madeira
Appellation/AVA: Madeira DOC
Vintage: 1973
Grape(s): Verdelho
Type: Wine - Fortified
Bottle Size: 750ml Pack: 1
Alc by Vol(%): 19
About D'Oliveira: Founded in 1920, D’Oliveira is a classic
Madeira shipper, with wines that date from 1619. Still owned by the same
family, with a unique stock of irreplaceable old wines from many of its
best vintages. Their wines have powerful aromatics great lusciousness
and body, structure, and good acidity. All of its vintages are kept in
wood and bottled only upon demand, ensuring the best aging of the wine
possible. Tasting Notes: Light amber in color with aromas of hazelnut, pear, vanilla bean and orange marmalade.
Food Pairing: Try Cream Cheese Flan with Quince Compote About Madeira: The small, steep volcanic island of Madeira off
the coast of Portugal was historically an important port of call for
ships en route to Africa, Asia, and South America, and, in turn, became
an important port of call for sailors to stock up on booze. By the end
of the 16th century, the Madeira wine industry had become an
international phenomenon. The wines were originally fortified to help
them last through their long sea journeys, but drinkers soon developed a
taste for the maturation that the heat and the rolling of the ship
provided. The wine became so popular in the North American colonies that
it was used to toast the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The
major grapes in Madeira are Sercial, Verdelho, Bual, and Malvasia, each
vinified to a unique style and level of sweetness. Long ship journeys
are no longer used for aging, but rather, the estufa method is often
employed, in which hot water circulates through a coil in the middle of a
steel tank, heating the wine for 90 days, or the wine is stored in a
room with steam pipes for 6 months to a year. The finest madeiras,
though, are made without any heating besides the sun and time (20
years!). Madeira is decidedly unique, and quite probably the world’s
longest living wine.
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