1900 D'Oliveiras - Moscatel Reserva Madeira

The 1900 Moscatel has a simple, lifted burnt toffee-scented bouquet with a touch of seaweed and nougat. It is missing a little focus and freshness. The palate is well-balanced on the entry with good acidity. There are light marmalade, burnt toffee and caramel notes that are missing some tension and vibrancy on the finish. This has held up well, a lesson in sensual pleasure rather than sophistication. It was in 1850 that Joao Pereira d’Oliveira founded his company. He initially sold wines to other shippers, and it was not until the 1970s that they began to sell Madeira wines under their own label (though they continued to sell and buy lots, to and from other shippers.) It is a small company, but there are plentiful stocks of reserve wines. Their policy is to bottle on demand, which means their vintage wines can invariably benefit from extended cask aging. Let us begin with their reserve wines, which are mainly Tinta Negra Mole and are matured under estufugem. Importer: The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA; Tel: (203) 457-1431; Fax: (203) 457- 4471