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Blandys 2004 Malmsey Colheita Madeira is a rich style of Madeira. It is bottled as a Colheita, or Single Harvest, Madeira. This vintage, harvested in 2004, would be perfect for anyone celebrating a milestone from that year! Buy now at Fareham Wine Cellar.
For over two centuries, Blandy’s Madeira has been synonymous with quality Madeira wine. The Blandy family has played a leading role in the development of Madeira wine throughout its long history, with members of the family continuing to maintain a tradition of wine-making dating back to 1811.
In 1989, to further expand the global market for Madeira, the Blandys approached another renowned Anglo-Portuguese family, the Symingtons (owners of celebrated Port houses such as Dow, Warre, Graham, and Cockburn), and offered them a partnership in the newly formed Madeira Wine Company (MWC). This partnership continues today, and in 2011, the Blandys and Symingtons signed an agreement giving the Blandy family control of the MWC, with the Symingtons retaining a minority shareholding. Michael and Chris Blandy, 6th and 7th-generation family members, currently work in the company, upholding a tradition spanning over 200 years.
Blandys 2004 Malmsey Colheita Madeira is produced from grapes harvested in a single year, making it a single-vintage (or dated) style of Madeira. By law, a wine labelled as Colheita Madeira must be aged for at least 5 years in barrels (using the traditional canteiro method, see below) before bottling. There is no upper limit on how long it can remain in the barrel.
However, if a Colheita Madeira continues to age in barrel for a total of at least 20 years, it qualifies to be labelled as a Vintage (or Frasqueira) Madeira, the oldest and rarest category. This extended barrel ageing imparts a Colheita Madeira with notable depth, complexity, and character, similar to that of a young Vintage Madeira, while remaining more accessible and often more affordable than true Vintage examples.
Traditional Canteiro Ageing Method
This style of Madeira undergoes maturation in seasoned American oak casks using the traditional “Canteiro” system. In this method, the casks are gradually transferred from the top floors of the wine lodges, where it is naturally warmer, to the middle and eventually ground floors, where it is cooler, during the ageing process.
The Canteiro method is reserved for the highest quality Madeira, as these wines are aged without the use of artificial heat, relying solely on the warmth of the sun. The Madeira wine is regularly racked and bottled once it reaches the desired stage of maturity, with vintage Madeiras displaying both the bottling date and the vintage (harvest year) on the label. All vintage Madeiras are bottled under the supervision of the Madeira Wine Institute.
Understanding Madeira Styles and Grape Varieties
Traditionally, Madeira wines vary in style and sweetness depending on the grape variety used:
Blandys 2004 Malmsey Colheita Madeira is made from 100% Malmsey grapes and is a rich style of Madeira. Presented in a 50cl bottle
Only 2598 bottles were produced.
Bright crystalline, topaz colour with golden highlights. Bouquet characteristic of Madeira, intense, with notes of marmalade, toasted nuts, crystallised fruit, honey and brandy spice. In the mouth it’s sweet, soft and dense, with a long aftertaste, fresh and alcoholic, with notes of marmalade, candied fruit and toasted wood.
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