Blandy’s 20 years Malmsey is a madeira of the sweet kind – about 125 grams of sugar per litre, but accompanied by madeira’s characteristic, high acidity, which provides freshness and ensures that it does not feel nauseating. The wine has an average age of 20 years, but contains both younger and significantly older wine – the oldest part comes from 1979! Aging takes place in wooden barrels according to the canteiro method.
Colour: Clear, light mahogany.
Aroma: Complex aroma of honey, English Christmas cake, fig, apricot, nuts and warm spices.
Tasting notes: Intense, rich and sweet. Again notes of nuts and spices, raisin and other dried fruits, brandy and dark chocolate.
Serving suggestions: Enjoy it slightly chilled for desserts with chocolate or nuts, or simply as a meditation wine.
Decanter
96 points
WineEnthusiast
92 points
Richard Mayson
18.5 points
Although it is the famous Madeira Wine Company – one of the most important producers in Madeira – that markets and distributes Blandy’s Madeira, it is still the Blandy’s family that owns the winery and vineyards and makes the wines. Seven generations of the same family have succeeded each other since 1811, and today the company is the only producer on Madeira that is still owned by a single family, who, of course, lives on the island! The winery has played a decisive role in the production of Madeira over the years, both for the cultivation tradition and the typical production techniques used on the island.
Blandy’s Madeira owns vineyards in several places on the island, including in São Jorge (150-200 m.a.s.l.), São Vicente (north coast, 300-400 m.a.s.l.), Porto Moniz (north), Seixal (north) and Câmara de Lobos (south coast) (up to 500 m.a.s.l.). In addition, the winery has long-term agreements for the supply of grapes with 26 different small growers in most wine regions. The grapes are vinified at the company’s wine estate north of the capital Funchal and are then matured both on the property and in Blandy’s famous cellars in the center of the city. Each type of Madeira is given an adapted number of years in barrel and the wines are only bottled when they are optimally developed. They are ready to serve after bottling and therefore need no further storage in the bottle.
