Over 1000 kilometers from mainland Portugal, the island of Madeira enjoys summer temperatures around 22°C and winters around 16°C (and I’m American so none of those numbers mean anything to me). This is a hot climate for wine, and while a few weirdos are out there planting Vitis whatever-the-American-species-
Then you’ve got your white Madeira grapes: Sercial (dry), Verdelho (off-dry), Boal (semi-sweet), and Malvasia (sweet). At the Henriques & Henriques booth at SISAB, I had the chance to try all four. H & H Sercial 2001 is a Colheita, or single harvest, Madeira. Colheita Madeira is usually monovarietal, but can be a blend of any of the four, as long as it spends at least 5 years in oak. H & H Sercial 2001 is a rich amber color. The nose reminds me of caramel lattes, roasted banana chips, and marigolds, and the palate offers flavors of pineapples—both ripe and unripe—and dried apples. The wine is medium-bodied, with high acidity and a medium-long finish.
Henriques & Henriques 15 Year Verdelho is not a Colheita, but a blend of different years’ yields of the Verdelho grape. On Madeira, the year listed on a blend’s label refers to the minimum age of the wine in the blend (contrast this with Tawny Port, where the year listed refers to the target flavor profile of the wine, i.e. “This should taste like its 10 years old,” a bit less exact of a measurement). Henriques & Henriques 15 Year Verdelho is a burnt orange color, with sandalwood, smoked mahogany, and caramel notes on the nose. This wine is weightier, but you’ve still got good acidity. There’s more residual sugar, but not much more, with nuttier tones—almond and hazelnut, plus fig—making up the palate.
H & H Boal 2000 (another Colheita) is a redder hue than the Verdelho, with milk cocoa and banana nut muffin notes adding to the sandalwood on the nose. It’s moderately sweet, and very nutty: hazelnuts and cashews, with dried figs and dried apricots on the long finish. This one’s fuller-bodied and less acidic.
The H & H 20 Year Malvasia (the grape is also known as Malmsey) has the oily brown appearance of old black coffee or añejo rum. The nose is toasty—coffee bean and smoked chestnut; burnt caramel tones harmonize with fig and autumn honey notes on the palate. Big, sweet, and viscous, this is very much a dessert wine.
While the Sercial might be best with roast chicken, pumpkin pie, or cod, the Verdelho would go great with a curried chicken, banana bread, or an aged cheese like Gjetost. I would pair the Boal with French onion soup, fruitcake, or halvah, and the Malvasia with crème brûlée, a sweet cigar, or any sort of chocolate peanut butter confection.
Check out Henriques & Henriques online at http://www.henriquesehenriques.pt/?lang=en
*it’s Vitis labrusca
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