Blandy's 10 Years Bual Medium Rich Madeira (500ML)
-
Wong
Wilfred
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Clear, amber color with tinges of gold on the rim. Superbly complex. Great intensity, revealing a bouquet of dried fruits such as figs and prunes, with notes of almonds and oak and subtle hints of toffee and vanilla spice. Sumptuous. Medium sweet and very smooth with a superb balance of coffee and fruit flavors with clean and sharp acidity. Lovely persistent aftertaste.
Professional Ratings
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The Blandy's Bual Madeira, Aged 10 Years, is layered and full-bodied. TASTING NOTES: This wine excels with the aromas and flavors of dried dates and apricots. Enjoy its full and sweet presence with grilled, jalapeno-accented pork chops. (Tasted: June 16, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
John Blandy first set foot on Madeira in 1807. In 1989, the Symington family became partners with the Blandy family and is helping to reinvigorate the Madeira trade. Grapes are grown in volcanic soil and hand harvested due to steeply terraced cliffs. The resulting wines are highly acidic and were found by historical accident to benefit from being heated - a process that would destroy any other wine. Originally, Madeiras were heated by the sun, stored in casks on the decks of boats exploring the world during the 18th century. Today, Madeiras are heated in a process called “estufagem,” which gives them great concentration and an incredible capacity to age while retaining some of the vibrant acidity unique to these wines.
The Blandy family is unique in being the only family of all the original founders of the Madeira wine trade to still own and manage their own original wine company. Throughout its long history on the island, the family has played a leading role in the development of Madeira wine throughout its long history. Members of the family continues to live on Madeira, maintaining a tradition that goes back to 1811; 2 centuries of fine wine production.
A steep, volcanic island in the Atlantic Ocean that rises to over 6,000 feet at its highest point, Madeira actually sits closer to Morocco than Portugal, the country to which it belongs.
Today the vineyards of the island cover tiny step-like terraces called poios, carved from the basalt bedrock. Aptly named Madeira, this fortified wine comes in two main styles. Blended Madeira is mostly inexpensive wine but there are a few remarkable aged styles. Single varietal Madeira (made from Sercial, Verdelho, Boal or Malmsey), is usually the highest quality and has the potential to improve in the bottle for decades.