| Score: |
98 JG.
"This vintage hails exclusively from the d’Oliveira family’s historic São Martinho vineyard high up in the hills overlooking Câmara de Lobos and it is clearly one of the most brilliant bottles of Madeira I have ever had the pleasure to taste (I cannot believe I have had the good fortune to drink this wine on three occasions in the last couple of years!), as it is majestic on both the nose and palate . . . . The utterly brilliant nose soars from the glass in a very complex constellation of cherries, oranges, molasses, lavender, exotic spice tones, rancio, a touch of wild fennel, spiced meats, cigar smoke and a lovely and complex base of salty soil. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and simply explosive, with flawless focus and balance, tangy acids, magical complexity and simply stunning length and grip on the very pure, very elegant and still powerfully vibrant finish. What a magical wine!" View From the Cellar, Jan/Feb 2014, Issue #49 |