Blandy's : Bual Colheita Single Harvest 2008

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for the Bual Colheita Single Harvest 2008 Blandy's

Tasting

Appearance
This Madeira Colheita displays a topaz hue with golden highlights and a crystalline brilliance that reflects its meticulous ageing.

Nose
The nose is intense and typical of the Bual style, revealing notes of dried fruit and vanilla-tinged spices, accompanied by hints of exotic wood that recall the complexity brought by ageing.

Palate
The palate is rich yet delicate, carried by nuances of tea, dried leaves, spices and brandy. The whole is beautifully balanced and ends with a long aromatic finish.

Food and Wine Pairing

This Madeira pairs well with smoked fish such as smoked salmon, whose richness and smoky notes harmonise with the wine's aromatic richness and vibrancy.

Serving and Cellaring

It is advisable to decant the Bual Colheita Single Harvest 2008 before serving to remove any natural sediment that may have formed over time. This wine is best served lightly chilled, at around 16°C, a temperature that showcases its aromatic richness without overemphasising its sweetness. It should be stored upright, away from light, in a cool, dry place at a constant temperature, ideally no higher than 16°C.

A Blandy's Madeira Colheita, Where Madeiran Tradition Meets Aromatic Richness

The Estate

The Blandy's Madeira brand was founded in 1811 by John Blandy, later joined by his brothers Thomas and George, on the island of Madeira. Two centuries and seven generations later, it remains the only one of the historic founders of the Madeira wine trade still owned and run by its founding family. This family continuity, combined with deep roots in the Terras Madeirenses, gives Blandy's a rare identity, carried forward today by the seventh generation of the family.

The Vineyard

The Bual vines used for this Colheita are located mainly in the areas of Calheta, Arco and Estreito da Calheta, on the south coast of the Portuguese island of Madeira. Trained on trellises, they grow on varied volcanic soils made up of basalt, trachyte, tuff, scoria and conglomerates. The grapes are harvested by hand, with a quality-driven selection carried out over several weeks to respect the ripeness of each plot.

Winemaking and Ageing

The Bual Colheita Single Harvest 2008 was crafted under the supervision of winemaker Francisco Albuquerque, from harvest through to bottling. Following a selective hand harvest in 2008, the wine was aged using the traditional canteiro system, in 650-litre casks kept at ambient temperature until it was bottled in 2022. This ageing method, characteristic of the finest Madeiras, promotes a slow oxidation that shapes the wine's richness and complexity.

Grape Variety

This Madeira Colheita is made from Bual, a noble white grape variety associated at Blandy's with a medium-rich style and renowned for producing wines that are both rich and balanced.