Blandy’s Vintage Sercial 1989
Amber gold with an old gold nuance. Very exuberant and characteristic. Volatile, almost spicy on the nose, with pronounced notes of citrus jam and spice. Very fresh, dry, with invigorating intense acidity, leaving a very long fresh aftertaste, releasing notes of exotic wood, spice, ginger and aged brandy.
Reviews
#17, Top 100 Wines of Portugal
Wow. This dry sercial has insane, multidimensional aromas of roasted orange rind, toast and dried fruit with a touch of varnish. The palate is austere, dry, sharp and almost severe, but so seductive and complex overall. This has the same amount of residual sugar (55 g/L) as a seco, but the sharpness, enhanced by volatility derived from the long and warm aging, is more acute. So much personality. This was aged up to a month in a canteiro system, in 650-liter American oak barrels. A truly unique wine. - J.L.
The vintage Madeira 1989 Sercial was produced with grapes from trellised vines in Jardim da Serra and Seixal from handpicked grapes over the course of several weeks, mostly on volcanic soils. It matured in used 650-liter oak barrels at room temperature until bottling. This was the first wine that fermented with temperature control and very high extraction, lots of extract. It's very powerful, with a hard edge and lots of acidity. It has the notes of low tide and iodine, seaweed, very salty, reminiscent of some Palo Cortado. This is a wine to sip slowly and age forever... This is not a wine for everyone, but I love it. -L.G.
Editor's Choice
The long wood aging shows well in this wine's aroma. This is a dry style of Madeira, impressive for its longevity and intense old gold and spice flavors. It is a remarkable wine that is ready to drink. - R.V.
A stylish version, with singed hazelnut, sesame, pecan and date flavors allied to a racy streak of green tea. Shows lovely, tangy, nervy energy through the finish, with a light brushstroke of sweetness to bring you back for more. - J.M.