Sercial 1940 V.J.H. Madeira

[DRT]

Please look after this bear...

[Conky]

Although its always lovely to get another glimpse of the tiles... what does all this mean???

[jdaw1]

These are apparently less than excellent, and one will be available as a lunchtime amuse bouche on Saturday. I might still owe Tom a few pennies: Tom?

[DRT]

Although its always lovely to get another glimpse of the tiles... what does all this mean???

Conky,

Despite his protestations that we have enough to drink I have a notion that Jdaw is likely to force us to try this 67 year old Madeira on Saturday

Life's a bitch

Derek

[Conky]

Have you lot started 'mainlining' Peanut Butter???

Two bottles of Maderia appear, and you want Bears looking after. Jules somehow knows they aren't that good, and there's now talk of Saturday!

I never thought I'd say this...Luc! Can you translate???

[DRT]

Conky,

Let's take this in small steps so that you can keep up...

1. Tom finds some Sercial 1940 on the cheap
2. Jdaw agrees to buy 2 bottles
3. Jdaw askes Tom to give Derek the 2 bottles for him
4. Derek brings the 2 bottles home and takes a picture of them
5. Derek posts a highly intellectual and witty reference to them on TPF
6. Conky gets confused
7. Jdaw gets it and responds appropriately
8. Conky is even more confused
9. Derek has to explain to Conky that it isn't actually about a bear
10. We all taste some 67 yr old Madeira on Saturday, if Jdaw is generous enough to allow us.

Derek

[Conky]

My apologies.

I should have got all of that in a heartbeat!

[jdaw1]

With
1½. THRA tastes Sercial, and is less than impressed;
and one of:
2½. JDAW forgets to pay THRA;
2½. THRA forgets that JDAW paid;

(Though I didn’t get the bear joke.)

[Conky]

I presume its an obscure reference to a Marmalade loving Bear from Deepest Peru.

That Bear turned up at a certain Railway Station with a tag/label on his duffle coat, saying 'Please look after this Bear'.

The connection/explanation? Well if Derek doesn't explain, our best hope is a Oujia Board and some LSD.

[DRT]

Paddington - they were lost and looking for a home

Come on guys, keep up

[jdaw1]

They were never lost. They were in transit. A planned transit going to plan.

And lunchtime drinking doesn’t count in the total. Goes on a separate account, so I’m reliably assured. Especially if I have a nap afterwards.

[DRT]

They were never lost. They were in transit. A planned transit going to plan.

When they arrived at my house surrounded by Fonseca's they were very lost and looking for a home. I helped them find you.

And lunchtime drinking doesn’t count in the total. Goes on a separate account, so I’m reliably assured. Especially if I have a nap afterwards.

This is actually the Law. No arguing could persuade me otherwise.

Derek

[Conky]

And lunchtime drinking doesn’t count in the total. Goes on a separate account, so I’m reliably assured. Especially if I have a nap afterwards.

This is actually the Law. No arguing could persuade me otherwise.

Derek

Contrary to the Road & Sea Traffic Act, Section 56 Subsection 3A.

That's not a real Law

Quite the Legal Eagle !!!

[DRT]

Go on then - What's the difference between Unlawful and Illegal?

Derek

PS: Yes, I know

[jdaw1]

Unlawful and Illegal

Not sanctioned by law (e.g., adultery) versus contrary to law (murder, not decanting old port carefully, burglary, etc.)?

Conky: you should give a link when quoting old posts.

[DRT]

Unlawful and Illegal

Not sanctioned by law (e.g., adultery) versus contrary to law (murder, not decanting old port carefully, burglary, etc.)?

Conky: you should give a link when quoting old posts.

WRONG

Unlawful = contravening a law passed by Parliament

Illegal = a bird struck down with Avian Flu (or simliar)

[Conky]

Derek,

I didn't think anyone was daft enough to fall for the sick bird joke! Isn't it great when there's a big explanation!

And Julian. I thought you said you knew one was coming...and Duck!!!

I switched it to Derek and you took it hook, line & sinker!

[DRT]

High Five, Conky?

[Conky]

And Good Night. I'll chuckle myself to sleep. The Old Sick Bird Joke!
And he even said he knew one was coming...One Sheep, two sheep, three sheep, three sheep and an Ill Eagle, zzzzzzzz

[jdaw1]

[DRT]

Jdaw,

Sorry to re-open a painful wound but please advise: does this require decanting before I arrive if we are to taste in advance of the F-Plan?

Derek

[jdaw1]

No.

[DRT]

Despite the hesitation and uncertainty surrounding your reply I have decided not to decant the Sercial 1940.

Derek

[jdaw1]

A bold and brave decision, entirely commendable in its unambiguity.

[DRT]

Thank you. I pride myself on my ability to cut to the chase and make decisions that are in everyones interest, whether they realise it or agree with them or not.

Derek

[Conky]

Thats you buggered! You cant have your sneaky half glass now...on the purely technical grounds of decanting! (Phew!)

Alan

[uncle tom]

2½. JDAW forgets to pay THRA;
2½. THRA forgets that JDAW paid;

23/4 THRA has now received money from JDAW

Tom

[Conky]

Thanks to Jdaw1's generousity, I now have two thirds of a bottle in my fridge at home. Mine is the one pictured on the right. I thought I knew the taste of Maderia, from my youth, but this was a bit of a surprise. It was very dry and intense. I don't dislike it, but it didn't send me a flutter, either.
I've read somewhere this is best served chilled. Any thoughts on that? What about Longevity. Should I crack on, or can it last a while.
If this suggestion is outrageous, please ignore, but I was even wondering about ice? It did seem more white Port than Red.
Although it says 1940. When will it have been bottled? No clues on the bottle.

Alan

[Conky]

Can I thank you Guys for all that advice!

I decided to put it in the fridge. I still cant fall in love with it. I've had half a dozen friends come around and 'enquire' about my interest in Port. I've had some fun, considering I know nothing about Maderia, and suggested I was giving them a rare privilage of a 70yr old Maderia Wine.
I can see I've grabbed their attention, and to a man, they took their time, paid it reverential respect, made very enthusiastic noises, but also to a man, made comments like...'But it's just not for me!'.
I probably dont deserve them, but I cant fault their manners or their honesty.

Sooner or later, some lucky sod will walk in and truly appreciate a well known Maderia, and he'll be encouraged to drink the bottle!

Alan

[DRT]

Alan,

If you need to get rid of the Sercial '40 you could just wrap it in brown paper and take it down to St Helen's High Street around midnight - I'm sure someone will take it off you hands

Derek

[Conky]

Alan,

If you need to get rid of the Sercial '40 you could just wrap it in brown paper and take it down to St Helen's High Street around midnight - I'm sure someone will take it off you hands

Derek

Thanks Derek, you've always been a helpful bugger!!!

I might do that thing were you sit down, mind over matter, and convince yourself that it's delicious! I once did that with whisky. I can now enjoy the soil tasting types now. Still can't handle the petrol types though.

Alan

[Conky]

In fact I've poured half a glass now. It's going well with a packet of Wotsits!

[Simon Lisle]

I had that madeira at christmas two years ago it is my mother in laws birth year,I've also bought a Borges of the same year.I paid about £80 each I think(I have to stop buying at some point)

[Conky]

Simon,

would you know if it's a genuine 1940? Or is it one of those, that starts of as a 40, but can be added to through the years. I've forgotten what they call it when they do that, but I'm sure it's a Maderia thing.

Alan

[DRT]

No, it's a Sherry thing, and it's called Solera

[Conky]

No, it's a Sherry thing, and it's called Solera

Thanks Derek, Solera was the word. It is a Maderia thing as well though. With you giving me the word, I Googled it and its a well known phrase 'Solera Madeira'

Alan

[Jay P]

Thanks to Jdaw1's generousity, I now have two thirds of a bottle in my fridge at home. Mine is the one pictured on the right. I thought I knew the taste of Maderia, from my youth, but this was a bit of a surprise. It was very dry and intense. I don't dislike it, but it didn't send me a flutter, either.
I've read somewhere this is best served chilled. Any thoughts on that? What about Longevity. Should I crack on, or can it last a while.
If this suggestion is outrageous, please ignore, but I was even wondering about ice? It did seem more white Port than Red.
Although it says 1940. When will it have been bottled? No clues on the bottle.

Alan

Does this mean that Derek has now had his first taste of Madeira? To answer the above (and earlier) questions:

Madeira should be decanted, usually at least one day and sometimes more.

Once decanted and after the first few days (which might see some bottle stink blowing off), it should be fine stored in the decanter at room temperature for quite a while (weeks to months).

Serve at room temperature.

No ice, not even a little bit.

The "Dry and intense" is probably due to the fact that it is Sercial, the driest of the varieties. If you want the Madeira of your youth, try Malmsey/Malvazia...thats the sweet stuff, sometimes sickly sweet, sometimes sublime.

Jay

[Conky]

Thanks Jay,

I tried a couple more glasses last night, and I'm determined to at least try to like it. It did taste a little better chilled, but I presume thats the same as when you dont like a younger Port, and it dumbs down the taste a little.
Have you any thoughts on the bottling? I've been told it may have been a late nineties bottling of 1940 juice, that had been left undisturbed. I was also told that there's no more, so when the bottles in circulation, from that bottling disappear, thats it.
If thats true, thats ANOTHER reason I really want to like it.
It will serve me right if I fall in love with it on the last sip!

Alan

[DRT]

Does this mean that Derek has now had his first taste of Madeira?

Yes, unfortunately it probably wasn't the best one to have as a first experience, but was interesting given its age.

Derek

[Jay P]

I have not had that particular Madeira, and perhaps it is an off bottling. I am not at all an expert, hving very limited experience compared to Port, but I would characterize the better Madeiras as similar to the older Colheita Ports in terms of complexity. A really good Sercial should be zingingly acidic along with sweet, and complex as hell. Think the acidity of a quality 2005 Reisling, with the sweetness of a Beerenauslese, and the complexity of a pre 1900 Colheita Port. With a little bit of Esszencia Tokai thrown in? Very nice in front of the fire on a cold day, with the added benefit of not going bad in the decanter between consumptions of bottles of port.

The time in bottle should not hurt so much, which adds to the idea that maybe it's a bad bottle or just a bad Madeira.

Jay

[Simon Lisle]

I have not had that many madeiras but that bottle was below average from what I've tasted.

[jdaw1]

It seems that there’s a problem with that bottling. Not sure what, but not worthy of a Madeira of its age. Sorry chaps.

[Conky]

Behave Jdaw1. Don't apologise. It was a marvelous gesture, and has at least caused some interesting debate on a subject I was certainly lacking knowledge on.

[Conky]

I just saw some expert talking about Maderia. I didn't know Sercial was pronouced 'Sir-thee-al'.
You live and learn. He also refered to 'Boo-al' as well.

Alan.

[Overtired and emotional]

After reading this thread, I can see that the barbarians are not only at the gates but have taken them off their hinges and sold 'em for scrap.

Chill madeira? Not decant it at least 48 hours before drinking? Crikey, what's going on?

I became acquainted with vintage madeira some years ago when the old, and once fine, Willoughbys on Cross St Manchester was being closed by its owners Lees brewery. Lees had a long standing relationship, I believe, with VJH and so, very unusually for this part of the world, stocked some vintage madeiras. In their closing down sale, I bought a dozen for what was relatively a song, including the 1940 sercial.

No, it is not in the first flight, but it does have the beguiling complexity which is the hallmark of most such wines. I do subscribe to the egg cup theory; just one small glass at a time will do. Properly decanted and stoppered, the wine remains fresh for months after opening. That takes some, but not all, of the pain out of the cost of the wine.

Richard Mayson has just written a book on madeira, but is not yet published. Alex Liddell's book is still in print in the Mitchell Beazley series, although it is, to me at least, rather too idiosyncratic to be a good first guide.

A side effect of madeira is that it makes me go on and on and on and...

[Conky]

Bloody Hell John! 3 months too late.

Interesting comments, and I've still got a quarter of the bottle left. I've been earnestly trying to get to like it, using your eggcup theory.
If only I'd known, I'd have left it alone, and tried to organise an off-line. I'd have brought you a nearly full bottle and encouraged you to 'knock yourself out!'
Having said all of that, it's clear I could do with stumbling across a great glass of Maderia, just to confirm I'm not keen on it all, and it's not just this particular one.

Alan