SF | A magisterial depth of color at the core; mahogany at its best, and the rim a halo of deep green, recalling Madeira of a similar age. The aromatics are not dissimilar either, all informed by an allusive acidity and a core of fruit that has evolved with patient dexterity. Incredible texture and weight... the angels have taken their share after all; and what is left is a core of unadulterated quality; the essence, as others may say. A rare and poignant gift, to be cherished and to underline the great aging potential of these exceptional wines. 95
AJ | Well, here we are: a 19th-century wine. Dense ebony in color, though still translucent, which has somehow survived long enough so that we can see a sample. Mindful of the privilege, we sniff. An essence of time: treacle, leather, woodland in winter, pipe smoke, burned raisin, tatin-burned apples, old medicine jars, old rooms, old books, old libraries. Compelling and close-textured, almost creamy. Magnetically attractive, age aside. A tiny sip: an explosion of flavor. Acids and extracts are evident, yet nothing is austere or brutal; the raisin sweetness conciliates. The wine powers down on the tongue, almost scouringly; lingers and lingers, sending grappling hooks into your sensual apparatus; of course you don't spit but swallow, yet the swallow is almost a metamorphosis in its own right, in that the wine seems to melt into your tongue and your mucous membranes. This is enormously better than all of the 19th-century table wines I have tried, and up with the best Madeiras. If it is still commercially available, bravo. The score is almost irrelevant. 2024–40. 98
RM | Deepest mahogany in hue, with an olive-green rim; wonderfully lifted and scented on the nose, the quintessence of Colheita, with its profound figgy intensity and concentration… words fail me. Similarly and gloriously intense on the palate, with spellbinding textural depth and richness, dried figs, spice, and old saddle leather leading to a lovely, long, reassuring, warming finish that goes on for ever. A wine to sip and with which to meditate, and in this context there can only be one mark. 100