Mannie Berk | Until the 1970s and 1980s, D’Oliveira’s main business was as a partidista, supplying other shippers with wine. And so this is actually a D’Oliveira wine—and presumably from the same São Martinho vineyards as the 1850 and 1890 D’Oliveira. It appeared under various other Madeira Wine Association/Madeira Wine Company labels, including Blandy, Cossart Gordon, and Lomelino. This bottle was shipped to the USA by Leacock’s agent, World Shippers, in the late 1980s or early 1990s.

Roy Hersh | AO = Anibal D’Oliveira, an early owner of Pereira D’Oliveira, with vineyards owned in SM = São Martinho, which is just west of Madeira’s capital city of Funchal. This Leacock frasqueira received a split decision (like or not) from our guests. It was the darkest wine of the tasting, and some felt it may have been adulterated by added caramel coloring during its production. The bouquet possessed fragrant caramelized onion, torched sugar, saline, baked peach, and toffee notes that delivered a knockout punch to the proboscis. Full, soft, and silky, this Verdelho exhibited medium sweetness and generous flavors of lime, salted caramel, and a distinct smoky walnut nuance, along with citrus acidity focused in its core. The viscous espresso-imbued finish lingered long, which added even greater complexity. | 18