Winemaker Notes
Sweeter than either Charleston Sercial or Savannah Verdelho, Boston Bual still boasts incredible balance and refreshing acidity. The hallmark of this wine is its otherworldly complexity, featuring cinnamon-clove spiciness with overtones of citrus peel and woodsmoke. There is just enough sweetness to excel as an after-dinner wine, but its long, dry finish also makes it work beautifully with food.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Slightly richer than the Charleston Sercial, the Boston Bual boasts knockout aromas of toasted nut oil, orange peel and hints of dark honey or maple syrup. Despite the extra weight and sweetness, it's not cloying at all—the finish is mouthwatering and long. Editors’ Choice.
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Wine Spectator
Nutty aromas and flavors are filled with buttery notes in this plush and sweet style. Dried apricot and mango details add to the richness. Finishes with seductive smoke, dried beef and cocoa powder components. Drink now through 2050.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Aromas of figs, dates, warm spices, espresso roast and candied peel introduce the latest bottling of the NV Boston Bual (Rare Wine Company), a medium to full-bodied, rich and elegantly muscular wine with a generous core of fruit, nicely integrated sweetness and a racy spine of acidity, concluding with a saline finish. This cuvée is intended to evoke the richer styles of Madeira that were historically popular in the northeastern United States.
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.