A remarkable day of tasting
Spent pretty much the whole day tasting, today, but it was no chore.
Began with the Berry Bros & Rudd press tasting, where, as usual, we were treated to some real gems from the ludicrously extensive BBR range, including Tokaji Essencia from Royal Tokaji, which we were served on special glass spoons. I was particularly taken by the range of grower Champagnes, by some lovely Grand Cru Chablis from Droin, by the northern Rhones and also by BBR's own spirit range. There was a great turn-out with lots of colleagues to banter with. Time flew.
Then it was off to the annual Madeira tasting. Madeira is great, but off most peoples' radar screens. Barbeito's Madeiras were excellent, as usual. They're my absolute favourites. Blandy had a couple of fantastic colheitas, as well as the wine of the tasting: a 1920 Bual. I was also really impressed by the Justino's line-up: the 10 year old varietal wines all showed lovely freshness and complexity. D'Oliveras rocked: they brought along a wide selection of old colheitas back to the 1960s, which was really kind of them.
4 Comments:
"D'Oliveras rocked: they brought along a wide selection of old colheitas back to the 1960s, which was really kind of them."
I'm sure this [rocked] makes you seem desperately trendy but what does it mean?
tough life.......
I envy you the Barbeito tasting!
In the US, The Rare Wine Company out of Sonoma has a line of "historic" madeiras--a Sercial, a Bual, and a Malmsey--that are blends made from the Barbeito library of wines. They're very good, and at around $50 (US), they're reasonably priced.
Yes, D'Oliveiras were very generous to me too when I visited them in Funchal. I politely said in my dodgy Portuguese that I was really interested in the older wines, and they brought me a 70s Sercial and a 60s Bual to try.
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