D'Oliveiras Sercial Madeira 1989

D’Oliveira is one of the greatest of the classic Madeira shippers, and one of the few to survive from the pre-phylloxera era. With origins as far back as 1820, and today housed in cellars that date from 1619, this highly important company is still owned by the same family, who were once highly important growers in the parish of São Martinho.

Its stocks of old wines have grown over time, either through marriage with other wine-producing families, or by the purchase of other old firms. But the foundation for its unparalleled library of ancient vintages was laid more than 150 years ago in the legendary São Martinho vineyards of João Pereira D'Oliveira, the great grandfather of the current managing director, Luis D’Oliveira.

João Pereira was particularly well known for his Verdelhos, building on São Martinho’s reputation for this noble grape. The village’s Verdelhos have long enjoyed a high reputation; in 1896, the New York Madeira merchant Charles Bellows singled out São Martinho Verdelhos from the others on the island for their “wonderful perfume.”

More time in wood equals more complex wood-and-balsam volatile secondary beauty. The fruit characters are raisined, dried, preserved and citric all at once, wandering through a sky-wide nose of fine aromatic timber, grilled bread and nuts. Dry Sercial's vegetality is largely subsumed by fine old wood perfume. It’s complex as all get-out, but with great harmony and composure. Dry and saline in the mouth, it’s almost austere but with a nice textural generosity through the palate, marked by complex herbal-woodiness and juicy palate acidity. Scott Wasley, The Spanish Acquisition