Winemaker Notes
From its vineyard at Quinta Grande, the H&H Verdelho 15-Year is high-voltage. Deep amber to mahogany, with the classic green-olive madeira rim that speaks of time. A complex constellation of bright Seville orange, tangerine and dried apricot; consommé, clove and spice cake: this has terrific energy, its valence underpinned by rapier-like acidity, salty soil tones, old wood tannin and lemongrass grace notes in its upper register. Benchmark.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The NV Verdelho 15 Years Old comes in at 20% alcohol, with 81 grams of sugar and 6.9 grams of acidity, of which 0.77 is volatile acidity. It has a very bright amber-orange color and is in the style called medium-dry, with notes of caramelized fruit, a honeyed touch and some nuts and varnish. It has an intense palate with concentration and dry extract, long and persistent.
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.