This is about as rare as wine offerings get. Henriques & Henriques, one of the top sources of high-quality Madeira, has graciously opened a small portion of their ancient and rare back catalogue to us. What we managed to secure is not only a selection (albeit minuscule–just one bottle of each wine) of masterfully cellared Madeiras that will sit among the jewels in any collector’s cellar but true moments of wine history. Is your wine journey complete if you have yet to taste a wine from 1900 in pristine condition? We have just one bottle of each rarity available; please contact us as soon as possible should you wish to secure one. Alongside the hyper-rare museum wines, we have also restocked our selection of 10-, 15- and 20-year-old bottlings, as well as the incredible-value 3- and 5-year-old wines. Below, we have included full notes and independent reviews for most wines, with links to our website for more information on those not listed. The notes and reviews don’t come close to capturing the astonishing quality or emotion involved when tasting such wines. Trust us when we say that trying is believing. These four wines are not available for purchase through our website. Please contact Paul at pmedder@ifw.com.au if interested. Wine notes can be found at the bottom of this offer. The Place Madeira―a tiny rocky island off the west coast of Africa―is home to some of the world’s most profound and soaringly complex wines. In many ways, Madeira is a wine style that defies logic. Eye-wateringly steep slopes, sub-tropical climate, high rainfall and fragmented ownership of micro-plots (most less than an acre in size) of vines mean growing here is not for the faint of heart. Yet it is precisely these conditions, combined with the unique production practice, that set Madeira in a fortified league of its own. In contrast to Portugal’s other famous fortified, Port, you can expect something lighter, more elegant, lithe and detailed. The best examples are astonishingly complex, striking remarkable balance between bracing acidity and kaleidoscope flavour, and often presenting as much drier than their sugar levels would have you expect. Their fine, filigree weight leaves you perplexed when you look at the alcohol content. And when it comes to aging potential, few wines come close; good Madeira borders on indestructible. Henriques & Henriques has established an impeccable reputation as one of the top sources of high-quality Madeira. It is the leading independent Madeira shipping house and practises uncompromisingly devoted to its vineyards and wines. Not only is it the only house we know of that owns and farms a significant proportion of its own vineyards (10 hectares), but it is also unique in the holdings of extensive stocks, in both bottle and cask—some of which are more than a century or two old. The house style is, in the words of Tamlyn Currin, “rich, complex, glossy and concentrated”, making these ideal accompaniments for a wide range of dishes, from smoked fish, white meats, richly flavoured soups and broths and strongly flavoured cheeses to rich chocolate desserts and so much more between. Adventurous cooks can have a lot of fun with Madeira. The Grapes Sercial Sercial produces the driest and most bracing Madeira style. It is still ‘off-dry’, but with bright, citrusy acid, and can be served chilled as an aperitif or with sashimi, consommés or soups. Verdelho This late-maturing grape is used to produce slightly richer, medium-dry styles. Verdelho at this level produces a striking wine that can be served as an aperitif, with tapas-style food or complex seafood dishes. With age, the wines grow in intensity, developing delicious, honeyed depths balanced by natural acidity. Bual The Bual vineyards are traditionally found in the south of the island (Campanário and Calheta) at lower altitudes of 100 to 300 metres. Although there is more sweetness, the wines remain fresh, lively, and balanced. Bual can pair with rich, meaty dishes but also with desserts; try cassoulet, fruit, custard tarts or cheese. Malvasia Malvasia (aka Malmsey) grows exclusively in the south of the island at altitudes between 150 and 200 metres. It is used to make the island’s sweetest, richest style—though it still exhibits the delicious, mouthwatering acidity of great Madeira. Traditionally, these wines are consumed with decadent chocolate desserts or enjoyed on their own at the end of the meal. Museum Wines: 1976 Henriques & Henriques Terrantez 9234-750 $1383.00/bt or $1244.70/bt as part of a case 21% alcohol; 72 g/L RS. “Old gold wine. Aroma to dried fruits, namely raisins, light vanilla and some wood. Complex taste between dry and sweet. This is a perfectly balanced wine. Long finish.” Henriques & Henriques 1954 Henriques & Henriques Malvasia 19862-750 $1872.00/bt or $1684.40/bt as part of a case 20% alcohol; 149 g/L RS. “Very dark colour with brown and golden shades and slight greenish tints. Richly concentrated aroma of raisins, honey, spices and some rich wood. Rich, full-bodied and persistent taste and a long finish.” Henriques & Henriques 1927 Henriques & Henriques Bastardo 23318-750 $4711.00/bt or $4239.90/bt as part of a case 21.7% alcohol; 114 g/L RS. “Synonymous designation of the Trousseau grape variety (France), it matures early and reaches high sugar contents. Long oxidative ageing has revealed a complex aromatic composition, with notes of prunes, tobacco, coffee, caramel, toasted nuts and hazelnuts and propolis. In the mouth it is rich, unctuous and persistent.” Henriques & Henriques “Bastardo is synonymous designation of the Trousseau grape grown in parts of France. It ripens early and reaches significant sugar levels. This wine is real rarity and was only bottled in 2021: nut brown – mahogany in hue with spicy though slightly baked-toasted aromas and a pronounced torrefaction richness on the palate (114g/l residual sugar) redolent of dark chocolate and roasted coffee. The acidity really cuts though (11 g/l tartaric) leading to a long bitter-sweet finish. A rather wonderful curiosity and a great survivor.” 18 points, Richard Mayson, richardmayson.com 1900 Henriques & Henriques Century Malmsey 23319-750 $4888.00/bt or $4399.20/bt as part of a case The Solera system no longer exists in Madeira, but it has a long and proud history in the region. Some argue Madeira was the first area to use such a system of fractional blending, which was born out of both rising demand outstripping supply, and a desire to keep quality constant. Only 10% of an old wine could be withdrawn from any cask each year, to be topped with 10% young wines. This could only be done to the limit of 10 times before the solera was to be closed. The dates on these extraordinary and very rare wines refer to the foundation year of the solera. The wines have all been bottled within the last decade. Solera start date: 1900, close date: 1905. 20% alcohol; 123 g/L RS. "This wine is actually, miraculously, commercially available. ‘We recommend standing it upright and decanting 24 hours before serving,' says John Cossart. This wine has been in bottle for 15 years but still has the freshness of a solera wine. Green-edged mahogany. Pungent nose of bonfires. Round and punchy, very well balanced. Lots of acidity but not too much. Lovely sipping madeira. Very very fresh. Quite amazingly lively even though almost elixir-like.” 19/20 points, Jancis Robinson