1907 Malvazia

The 1907 Malvazia was magnificent when tasted on the island in April 2010, though this example does not quite reach those heady heights. It is deep amber in color. The nose is lifted and open with pressed flowers, orange blossom and a slight, rather distracting chlorine accent. The palate is rich and very spicy on the entry with expressive marmalade, orange peel and white pepper notes that build in the mouth. It shows good weight but it is lacking finesse towards the finish. It is a little unruly at 105-years of age, but packed full of flavor. It was in 1850 that Joao Pereira d’Oliveira founded his company. He initially sold wines to other shippers, and it was not until the 1970s that they began to sell Madeira wines under their own label (though they continued to sell and buy lots, to and from other shippers.) It is a small company, but there are plentiful stocks of reserve wines. Their policy is to bottle on demand, which means their vintage wines can invariably benefit from extended cask aging. Let us begin with their reserve wines, which are mainly Tinta Negra Mole and are matured under estufugem. Importer: The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA; Tel: (203) 457-1431; Fax: (203) 457- 4471