A Treasure Trove of Compelling Madeira Gems
“I know of no wine of its class that can beat Madeira when at its best… In fact, I think Madeira and Burgundy carry combined intensity and complexity of vinous delights further than any other wine.” George Saintsbury, Notes on a Cellar-Book
Tastes have changed a little since the above words were written in 1920. But don’t they say: “Fashion is temporary, class is permanent”? Today the wines of Madeira have a new squad of cheerleaders in wine writers like Jancis Robinson, Alex Liddel and Niklas Jörgensen—not to mention scores of sommeliers who have embraced this unique wine style. Part of this passion is being fuelled by Madeira’s ability to match so well with a wide range of foods, and the way it’s finding a place in contemporary cocktails.
Madeira is a fortified wine from the island of the same name—a kind of Galápagos Island for vines—in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Portugal. Often grown on terraced vineyards, Madeira is produced in a range of styles from off-dry to sweet, always with elegance and a distinctive, refreshing close. This is what separates the style from other, heavier-tasting fortified wines and it is one of the unique features that makes it so successful at the table (and so delicious in general).
Henriques & Henriques has established an impeccable reputation as one of the top sources of high-quality Madeira.
This is the leading independent Madeira shipping house and practise an uncompromising devotion to the quality of their vineyards and their wines. Henriques is the only house we know of that owns and farms a significant proportion of its own vineyards. They are also unique in their holdings of extensive stocks in cask, some more than a century old. Under the stewardship of Humberto Jardim, this venerable company has never produced better wines.
Henriques’ entry wines are very handy pourers or stand-by bottles for the fridge or shelf. They are predominantly made from Tinta Negra Mole—with 10% to 20% of Sercial, Verdelho or Malvasia depending on the age and style. The five-year-old blends carry more complexity and body from both the extra two years in barrel and the higher percentage of the four noble grape varieties in the blend.
The 10-Year-Old range is the level where the serious action begins, a leap ahead of the simpler young wines. Obviously aging for over a decade in oak casks produces more concentrated and intense wines, but more significantly, these wines must also be made from at least 85% of the four noble Madeira varieties: Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malvasia. When you get to the 15-Year-Old wines (and older), there is yet another jump in quality and concentration. These are brilliant wines with great intensity, complexity and length. You can open and sip these wines over a few weeks or even months—if you can show that level of restraint!
Finally, we also ship Henriques’ Garrafeira wines, this estate’s ‘Grand Cru’ offering. Vintage Madeira, or Garrafeira, must be aged for a minimum of 20 years in cask, and a further two years in bottle before release. On the category, Alex Liddell, author of Madeira [Hurst & Company, 2014] has written, “These wines are the glory of Madeira and, with the best examples of dated wines from the past, the yardstick by which it is to be judged to be a world-class wine.” While we may not have tasted every vintage, the quality and style of those that we have—will live on in our memories for many years to come.
Sercial produces the driest and most bracing Madeira style, and is best served as an aperitif, with tapas style dishes or seafood. It also works very well with Sashimi, consommés or soups.
Deep amber in colour with a greenish tinge, this is an intense wine with aromas of nuts, honey and wood. Full-bodied and smooth, it has a complex palate of dried fruits, especially raisins, coffee and caramel. Fresh and rich with a long finish.
With a burnished tawny hue, Bual is the darkest of all the classic Madeira varieties. Although there is more sweetness here—the 10 year old carries 90.4 g/L—the wines remain fresh and lively, with bright, clean acidity (6.0 g/l). Bual can be served both with rich meat-based dishes, or with fruity and nutty deserts, where the wine’s dried-fruit and barley sugar flavours pair particularly well. Also try with cheese, crème caramel, Portuguese custard tarts or tarte tartin.
AT-A-GLANCE • Henriques & Henriques was founded in 1850 by João Joaquim Henriques and is the benchmark independent house for quality Madeira. • It sold wine to merchants until 1925, when it began to bottle and export wines sourced from its own vineyards. • The estate is led by Managing Director Humberto Jardim and is headquartered in Câmara de Lobos. • H&H sources much of its fruit from its own vineyards, notably its impressive ten-hectare site west of Câmara de Lobos at Quinta Grande. • The estate champions Madeira’s indigenous varieties—Sercial, Verdelho, Boal and Malvasia—as well as Tinta Negra, releasing a 50-year bottling of the latter. • There are extensive stock holdings in cask, some of which exceed 100 years old. • The wide range includes the entry-level Tinta Negra-based wines, 3- and 5-Year-Old blends, 10, 15 and 20-Year-Old Blends, ultra-rare, vintage-dated (Garrafeira) wines and Ancient Solera and Very Old Reserve bottlings. Formats vary from 500ml to 750ml. • We often gain access to the museum library and offer these wines on a pre-ship basis. IN THE PRESS “Henriques & Henriques ten year olds [and 15 year olds] are much the best of the genre. Made from the four ‘noble’ grapes, they have much of the clean, high-toned, incisive character of a really fine Madeira for a fraction of the price.” Richard Mayson, Portugal’s Wines & Wine Makers “Top-quality madeira is one of the world's most wickedly underrated fine wines. I know you will have read that about sherry - and that's true too - but I can understand why people don't like sherry. It does have a characteristic flavour that some palates will find off-putting. But madeira tastes like the elixir of life itself.” Jancis Robinson MW, www.jancisrobinson.com
Country
Portugal
Primary Region
Madeira
People
Winemaker: Humberto Jardim
Availability
National
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