Blandys 1998 Verdelho Colheita Madeira 50cl

Blandys 1998 Verdelho Colheita Madeira is a special order item and is only available in extremely limited quantities. Perfect as a gift for anyone celebrating a significant anniversary from 2002.

For 200 years, Blandys Madeira has been synonymous with quality Madeira wine. The Blandy family has played a leading role in the development of Madeira wine throughout its long history and members of the family continue to live on Madeira, maintaining a tradition that goes back to 1811. In 1989 in order to further expand the global market, the Blandy’s approached another Anglo-Portuguese family, the Symington Family (owners of Port Houses Dow, Warre, Graham and Cockburn amongst others) and offered them a partnership in the newly named Madeira Wine Company (MWC). This partnership continues today and in 2011 the Blandys and the Symingtons signed an agreement giving the Blandy family control of the (MWC). The Symingtons remain minority shareholders. Today, Michael and Chris Blandy, 6th and 7th generation members, continue to work in the company, maintaining a tradition that spans over 200 years.

Blandys 1998 Verdelho Colheita Madeira is made from grapes harvested in a single year. A colheita Madeira is therefore a type of dated Madeira, like vintage Madeira. It has to be aged for a minimum of 5 years in barrels before it can be called a Colheita Madeira (for Colheita Port it is a minimum of 7 years). There is no maximum age limit for Colheita Madeira but after 19 years ageing it can then legally be called Vintage Madeira. This barrel ageing gives the Colheita Madeira some of the character and complexity of a young vintage Madeira. After fermentation, and the subsequent fortification, Blandys Colheita Madeira is aged in seasoned American oak casks in the traditional Canteiro system, whereby the wine is gently heated by warm air in the lofts of the company’s south-facing lodge in Funchal. Over the years the casks are transferred from the top floor to the middle floor and eventually to the ground floor where it is cooler. The wine is regularly racked during the ageing process and is finally bottled when the desired balance of maturity is reached.

Traditionally Madeira varies in style and sweetness depending on the grape variety that the Madeira is made from. Sercial produces the driest style, the rarer Tarrantez and Verdelho produce a Medium Dry style, Bual (sometimes call Boal) produces a Medium Rich style and Malvasia (also known as Malmsey) produces the richest and sweetest styles.

Blandys 1998 Verdelho Colheita Madeira is 100% Verdelho and is a medium dry style of Madeira, presented in a 50cl bottle in an individual box.