Item Number: 340 UPC: None

Country: Portugal
Region: Madeira
Appellation/AVA: Madeira DOC
Vintage: 1922
Grape(s): Bual
Type: Wine - Fortified
Bottle Size: 750ml Pack: 1
Alc by Vol(%): 19
About Bual: For many Madeira lovers, Buals offer the best combination of richness and elegance. The sweetness of the wine (up to 3.5% residual sugar) is balanced by the tang of acidity; the texture, after suitable maturing, is silky and elegant; in a fine example, the finish is relatively dry and refreshing. The Bual vines, grown up to a quarter-mile elevation, are not very prolific and only small amounts of this classic grape variety are produced.

Tasting Notes: "Rich smells of crème brulee and roasted nuts on the nose, very concentrated and complex on the palate,initially sweet then evolving into a smooth beautifully balanced dry finish. Perhaps the ultimate Madeira?" - Boveywines.co.uk
"The 1922 Boal is very conservative and unresponsive on the nose, despite rigorous coaxing. The palate is better, quite elegant with fine tannins and a slightly drying, oxidative, nutty finish that tapers away." - Wine Advocate 2012

Food Pairing: Caramelized Baked Apples

About Madeira: The small, steep volcanic island of Madeira off the coast of Portugal was historically an important port of call for ships en route to Africa, Asia, and South America, and, in turn, became an important port of call for sailors to stock up on booze. By the end of the 16th century, the Madeiran wine industry had become an international phenomenon. The wines were originally fortified to help them last through their long sea journeys, but drinkers soon developed a taste for the maturation that the heat and the rolling of the ship provided. The wine became so popular in the North American colonies that it was used to toast the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The major grapes in Madeira are Sercial, Verdelho, Bual, and Malvasia, each vinified to a unique style and level of sweetness. Long ship journeys are no longer used for aging, but rather, the estufa method is often employed, in which hot water circulates through a coil in the middle of a steel tank, heating the wine for 90 days, or the wine is stored in a room with steam pipes for 6 months to a year. The finest madeiras, though, are made without any heating besides the sun and time (20 years!). Madeira is decidedly unique, and quite probably the world’s longest living wine.