Blandy's : Sercial 10 Year Old

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for Blandy's Sercial 10 Years Old

Tasting

Appearance

Blandy's Sercial 10 Years Old reveals a golden lemon-yellow colour, clear and brilliant, with glints of gold that bear witness to its maturation in cask.

Nose

The nose opens with aromas of dried fruits macerated in eau-de-vie, accompanied by slightly bitter dried almonds, candied citrus and a hint of spice, creating a bouquet as complex as it is refined.

Palate

The attack is dry and lively, carried by a lovely lemony freshness and touches of nuts, notably hazelnut. The long, persistent finish gives way to notes of spice and exotic wood.

Food and wine pairing

This dry Madeira is a pleasure to enjoy as an aperitif, particularly with salted almonds or spiced charcuterie. It also pairs very well with refined starters, fish dishes or preparations with bold flavours, such as certain Indian dishes.

Serving and storage

Blandy's Sercial 10 Years Old Non-Vintage is served slightly chilled, at around 14°C, with no need for prior decanting. Once opened, it keeps for several months thanks to the great resistance to oxidation characteristic of Madeira wines.

A Dry and Distinguished Madeira Wine, Born on the Volcanic Soils of Madeira

The estate

Founded in 1811 by John Blandy and his brothers, Blandy's is today the only family among the historic founders of the Madeira Wine Association still to own and run its own wine business, two centuries and seven generations later. Based in Funchal, on the island of Madeira, the House cultivates its vines between the north and the south of the island. Led today by Chris Blandy, representing the seventh generation, the House perpetuates a traditional savoir-faire while gradually modernising its viticultural and environmental practices.

The vineyard

The vines used for this cuvée are planted either at 600 metres above sea level on the slopes of southern Madeira, in Jardim da Serra, or at sea level on the north coast, in Seixal and Porto Moniz. These plots rest on varied volcanic soils made up of basalt, trachyte, tuff, scoria and conglomerates, in a temperate climate with oceanic influence, where temperature, humidity and rainfall vary significantly with altitude.

The blend

This Terras Madeirenses wine is the result of a blend of wines of different ages, with an average ageing time of ten years in cask. This method allows Blandy's to guarantee a consistent style from one bottling to the next, rather than depending on the characteristics of a single harvest.

Winemaking and ageing

The grapes are hand-harvested, with a quality selection carried out over several weeks according to their ripeness. Fermentation takes place with natural yeasts, between 18°C and 21°C, in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. After 8 to 10 days, a 96% v/v wine spirit is added to halt fermentation and preserve the natural sweetness of the grapes. This Madeira wine is then aged in oak casks according to the traditional "Canteiro" method, before being filtered and fined prior to bottling.

Grape variety

This Portuguese wine is made from Sercial, the emblematic grape variety of the driest style of Madeira wines.