I don't like to boast about it, but I went to Oxford. The city of dreaming spires where great academics throughout the centuries have discovered, invented and written things that have changed the world. Yes, I went there, too. In fact, I went there more than once, most recently with some good friends just this last weekend.
Whilst there we relived some of the magical student days that I never had, playing bridge and croquet, eating and drinking and generally messing about on the river. During the last of these I discovered a previously un-researched law of fluid dynamics, involving a punt, a beer bottle and a low bridge. I also discovered that while the English don't have a direct equivalent of the German word schadenfreude they do have a capacity for it.
An accidental discovery involving boats also played an important role in the development of the fortified wines from the island of Madeira, referred to these days as 'Madeira'. More of that later, but those wines are made from a handful of grapes varieties one of which is Boal. Hence:
Week B (2014) Barbeito Boal 5 year Old Reserva Madeira NV. Uncorked £13.85 50cl.
The accidental discovery concerning Madeira wine was that, contrary to the usual wine keeping advice which recommends storage in a dark, constantly cool environment and avoiding unnecessary movement, these wines would actually improve through rough treatment. Specifically, as far back as the late 18th C wines would be fortified with grape spirit to make them stable, in the same way that Port was treated before shipment to England, stored in barrels and taken on ships to be sold in the new world. The unsold portion would remain on the ship and make the return trip to Madeira still in the hot and rolling conditions of the ship's hold. The makers noticed that the wine that had been put through this unfortunate experience actually tasted better than the same wines that had sat in the warehouses on shore for the same period.
This discovery lead to a unique process that involves heating the wine at the start of its maturation through one of three methods. The first involves stainless steel tanks and a heating coil, the second deploys steam heated storage rooms and the third uses warehouses heated only by natural sunshine. Each successive method is more expensive and time consuming, so it generally follows that the better wines are produced through the last of these which is called 'canteiro'.
Our bottle contains a blend of canteiro aged wines, at least five years old. It is made with 100% Boal. Other varieties are used giving increasing degrees of sweetness and this 'reserva' has 88 gm/l of residual sugar making it medium sweet.
It is a beautiful golden tawny colour and looks bright and inviting. It has aromas of burnt toffee and baked apple and tastes of caramel, bitter marmalade underpinned by the nuttiness of oxidation.
I have had just the one small glass (really) and found it very moreish, mouth-watering and very lengthy. It has a gently warming 18% abv. and makes an appetising alternative to both Port and sweet sherry. I could become a fan.
Whilst there we relived some of the magical student days that I never had, playing bridge and croquet, eating and drinking and generally messing about on the river. During the last of these I discovered a previously un-researched law of fluid dynamics, involving a punt, a beer bottle and a low bridge. I also discovered that while the English don't have a direct equivalent of the German word schadenfreude they do have a capacity for it.
An accidental discovery involving boats also played an important role in the development of the fortified wines from the island of Madeira, referred to these days as 'Madeira'. More of that later, but those wines are made from a handful of grapes varieties one of which is Boal. Hence:
Week B (2014) Barbeito Boal 5 year Old Reserva Madeira NV. Uncorked £13.85 50cl.The accidental discovery concerning Madeira wine was that, contrary to the usual wine keeping advice which recommends storage in a dark, constantly cool environment and avoiding unnecessary movement, these wines would actually improve through rough treatment. Specifically, as far back as the late 18th C wines would be fortified with grape spirit to make them stable, in the same way that Port was treated before shipment to England, stored in barrels and taken on ships to be sold in the new world. The unsold portion would remain on the ship and make the return trip to Madeira still in the hot and rolling conditions of the ship's hold. The makers noticed that the wine that had been put through this unfortunate experience actually tasted better than the same wines that had sat in the warehouses on shore for the same period.
This discovery lead to a unique process that involves heating the wine at the start of its maturation through one of three methods. The first involves stainless steel tanks and a heating coil, the second deploys steam heated storage rooms and the third uses warehouses heated only by natural sunshine. Each successive method is more expensive and time consuming, so it generally follows that the better wines are produced through the last of these which is called 'canteiro'.
Our bottle contains a blend of canteiro aged wines, at least five years old. It is made with 100% Boal. Other varieties are used giving increasing degrees of sweetness and this 'reserva' has 88 gm/l of residual sugar making it medium sweet.
It is a beautiful golden tawny colour and looks bright and inviting. It has aromas of burnt toffee and baked apple and tastes of caramel, bitter marmalade underpinned by the nuttiness of oxidation.
I have had just the one small glass (really) and found it very moreish, mouth-watering and very lengthy. It has a gently warming 18% abv. and makes an appetising alternative to both Port and sweet sherry. I could become a fan.
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