Winemaker Notes
Blandy's 10-Year-Old Malmsey Madeira has intensely concentrated nutty, caramel, and honeyed flavors. Although it is a rich, fortified wine, it finishes bright due to Madeira's higher acidity.
Professional Ratings
-
Decanter
It's notoriously difficult to make a balanced Malmsey. That's precisely what Blandy's achieved here. Lovely extract on the palate, with great substance, weight but also poise. Dried walnut, nectarine, red apple and apricot peel fill the mouth, set against a background of coffee, tobacco, Oolong tea and fig leaves - savoury and herbal notes that beautifully offset the luscious sweetness. Lingering notes of honeyed walnuts, floral honey and glazed apple.
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The Blandy's Malmsey Madeira, Aged 10 Years, sails on the palate with excellent richness and length. TASTING NOTES: This wine shines with aromas and flavors of brine, dried citrus, cloves, and minerality. Enjoy it with crème Brulee and a mild cigar, if you dare. (Tasted: June 16, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
-
James Suckling
This Malmsey shows leather, dried fruit and roasted nectarine aromas. The palate is incisive with citric acidity. Like all these wines the acidity determines the sensations and conditions the sweetness.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Mildly syrupy in texture, this is an intensely sweet Madeira balanced by racy acidity. Rancio and brown sugar aromas lead the way, followed by flavors of caramelized nuts, molasses and burnt citrus peel. Excellent length on the finish, where the crisp acids really shine.
-
Wine Spectator
Richly spiced, with orange pekoe tea notes to the caramelized apple, pear and dried fig flavors. Chocolate and spice accents show on the luscious finish.
A steep, volcanic island in the Atlantic Ocean that rises to over 6,000 feet at its highest point, Madeira actually sits closer to Morocco than Portugal, the country to which it belongs.
Today the vineyards of the island cover tiny step-like terraces called poios, carved from the basalt bedrock. Aptly named Madeira, this fortified wine comes in two main styles. Blended Madeira is mostly inexpensive wine but there are a few remarkable aged styles. Single varietal Madeira (made from Sercial, Verdelho, Boal or Malmsey), is usually the highest quality and has the potential to improve in the bottle for decades.