Pereira d'Oliveira- Madeira Sercial Dry Colheita 1999

Region: Madeira / Portugal

Grapes: Sercial

Bottled 2013

With age comes a fuller array of complex wood-volatile-ester secondaries: here, the beautiful smell of an old cricket bat embalmed in linseed oil, along with deep grilled nut edged by citrus rind, with brandy snap and ginger cookie touches. In the mouth, marmalade and grilled nut lead into a rainwater shower of juicy acid so typical of these beautiful wines. Firm spirit dryness gives the mid-palate a hold, at which point it's almost peaty sweet and then comes a long, fine earthily dry end, which is almost ruler-straight, but gentle - unforced, and not forceful, a wine of considerable grace.

NERD NOTES

Founded in 1890, Pereira D'Oliveiras is the most traditional of houses. Their wines are the most concentrated and earthy of Madeiras, yet brilliantly fresh and persistent. Nowadays, PDO is run by Luis D'Oliveira, one of 3 brothers in the partnership, direct descendants of founder, Jaão Pereira D'Oliveira. Fellow 5th generation family member Anibal D'Oliveira (with his son Felipe), is the winemaker. Each year, they buy fruit from about 140 growers in various parts of the island. Production per annum is about 150,000 litres, but the bodega's holdings of mature wine total around 1.5 million litres of rare old gear in addition to current commercial reserves.