2002 Barbeito Single Cask Malvasia Colheita Madeira

[djewesbury]

Decanted for 24 hours.
This is a straw-yellow colour, not especially deep but slightly richer in the core.
I don't know whether Madeiras are particularly expressive on the nose; I'm guessing white grapes are less forthcoming anyway. A very slight nose of light honey, figs and wood.
This is lovely and big coming into the mouth, it feels soft, spicy (sandalwood, cedar, cinnamon, clove) and very rich, without being at all cloying. Light, approachable tannins are quickly evident around the gums, wrapped about the woodiness, and fresh acids and citric notes rise in the mid-palate and continue into the finish.
Fruit flavours open out in the finish: elderflower, muscat sultanas, but also cinnamon bark, something rather opulent and luxurious. A suggestion of Turkish carpet. This is very lovely; very different to old colheita Ports, much fresher and less woody and reductive and extracted. It has youth but it also has elegance. I may have another glass to be sure.

[LGTrotter]

Glad to hear you've found another slippery slope.

[AW77]

Two thoughts on this one:
1) Have you been to Karsten at the Weingalerie?
2) For me Barbeito is for Madeira what Niepoort is for port: a small and very good producer which makes one of the finest wines of their respective wine region.

[djewesbury]

Two thoughts on this one:
1) Have you been to Karsten at the Weingalerie?
2) For me Barbeito is for Madeira what Niepoort is for port: a small and very good producer which makes one of the finest wines of their respective wine region.

1) Karsten is my dealer. I spent my 40th birthday in 2012 drinking port in Weingalerie. He it is who has pushed me down this slippery slope. Getting me on the hard stuff.
2) I can completely understand this - the sense that there's a new style with both the wines and the brand, the eclectic range of wines.. Makes perfect sense.

[LGTrotter]

Two thoughts on this one:
1) Have you been to Karsten at the Weingalerie?
2) For me Barbeito is for Madeira what Niepoort is for port: a small and very good producer which makes one of the finest wines of their respective wine region.

Now hold on, the comparison with Nierpoort is one I can understand, but Barbieto is a little more radical in his approach. I wonder about words like 'finest' in this context, he may be pushing in all sorts of new directions but there are a lot of others who aren't but still make classic wines which don't just bear comparison, but excel Barbieto wines. Modern does not equal finer. Harrumph!

[djewesbury]

Two thoughts on this one:
1) Have you been to Karsten at the Weingalerie?
2) For me Barbeito is for Madeira what Niepoort is for port: a small and very good producer which makes one of the finest wines of their respective wine region.

Now hold on, the comparison with Nierpoort is one I can understand, but Barbieto is a little more radical in his approach. I wonder about words like 'finest' in this context, he may be pushing in all sorts of new directions but there are a lot of others who aren't but still make classic wines which don't just bear comparison, but excel Barbieto wines. Modern does not equal finer. Harrumph!

Excellent, a heartfelt discussion about modernity versus classicism. Are you recommending Henriques & Henriques? Or something altogether more rarefied?

[LGTrotter]

Excellent, a heartfelt discussion about modernity versus classicism. Are you recommending Henriques & Henriques? Or something altogether more rarefied?

Yes, sorry I do bang that drum a bit too much. I was thinking of H&H, which always seem overlooked in favour of modernists or the varnishers of wooden legs. The odd Borges wine that I have had fall into the H&H camp too.

[LGTrotter]

the varnishers of wooden legs.

I should clarify that I was meaning the Cossart wine in particular and Madeira Wine Company in general. The other tasting note summing up my feelings about their lower brow offerings.