Madeira Tasting

The Cayman Islands branch of the IWFS is starting 2023 on a high note, with one of the most exclusive tastings that we have ever made available to our members. Our very own Andrew Jones – internationally renowned collector of Madeira – will treat you to a unique guided tasting of 6 vintage Madeira Wines from his private collection. The tasting will take place at the Ritz Carlton, accompanied by selected cheese and Madeira cake prepared on the instructions of Chef Frederic as the perfect accompaniment.

 

This event has been timed to follow the IWFS' publication of The Essential Guide to Modern Madeira by Richard Mayson (your copy of which was delivered to you in November/December 2022). 

 

Date: 1 February 2023

Time: 6:30pm

Place: The Ritz Carlton

Dress Code: Smart Casual

Cost: CI$150

 

You will be welcomed with a glass of white wine, selected by Andrew from the Ritz banquet menu, to be enjoyed while we hear about the history and manufacturing process of Madeira. Thereafter we can count ourselves as extremely fortunate to taste the following Madeiras:

 

1. Leacock & Co., Sercial 1950

Mid-amber/orange, green rim; lovely lifted, floral aromas…off-dry with a powerful savoury finish (salted nuts) but not too punishing or austere.

-Richard Mayson

 

2. Berry Bros. & Rudd’s Finest Old Verdelho, Solera 1851

In principle, casks were topped up periodically with a younger wine of the same style and quality, whenever about 10% had been drawn off and bottled. The date is supposedly the vintage of the original cask before it was first topped up.

 

3. Blandy’s Madeira Lda, Bual 1907

Very deep, glowing mahogany colour, intense; beautiful bouquet, herbaceous, spicy; sweet, richly flavoured.

-Michael Broadbent

 

4. Vinhos Barbeito (Madeira) Lda, Malvasia 1954

A classically rich Malvasia, bursting with butterscotch, chocolate, coffee and figs, but with powerful acidity.

-Mannie Berk

 

5. Blandy’s Madeira Lda, Terrantez 1976

Mid-mahogany, green rim; high-toned, savoury-smokey aromas, toast and wood-smoke and touch of varnish; having lovely, characteristically bitter-sweet fruit, very clean with apple and citrus acidity, something almost Burgundian about this wine’s gentleness and finesse.

-Richard Mayson on prior year’s bottling

 

6. Perreira D’Oliveira (Vinhos), Lda, Bastardo 1927

Deep amber/mahogany; fine high-toned aromas with butterscotch and coffee; rich, concentrated fudge-like fruit offset by bracing acidity and a long rather singed finish. Not without charm, but very unusual.

-Richard Mayson