Mannie Berk | Lomelino’s 1845 Quinta da Paz was among the most important wines in William Leacock’s Madeira collection, sold at Christie's, London, in December 2010. Produced on the estate of Joseph Phelps, an important early British shipper, a stock of this wine came into the possession of the Leacock and Blandy families when Lomelino joined the MWA in the 1930s. It had been rebottled by Lomelino in 1926. In 1971, Graham Blandy gave each of his children two bottles, calling them “museum pieces.” He also noted that the wine was “probably Verdelho.” Prior to the William Leacock sale, only seven bottles were known to have appeared at auction; at least two came from Blandy children and two more from Tom Mullins, managing director of the MWA. These fetched some of the highest Madeira auction prices of their time.

Roy Hersh | This is believed to be Verdelho, rebottled in 1926 as on the label, along with “Tabquinio T. da C.” which is seen on some newer stenciled bottles as: TTC Lomelino. Only my second taste of this wine. Medium-dark orange-amber with greenish-gold meniscus. It appears as a very old, austere wine, my first sniff reminiscent of newsprint and a musty antique furniture shop. Later it blossomed in the glass, proffering fragrant pecan pie, a green leafy note, assorted baking spices, plus treacle, cinnamon, and low-level VA. The palate presented sweet torrefacted flavors closer to a Bual: brandy-infused bread pudding, butterscotch, fig, hazelnut, and apricot preserves cloaked in a velvet wrap. The acidity was a bit light for this level of RS. An elegant and seductively smooth finish prevailed, but overall, the previous bottle I tasted of this was on a higher plane. | 18