Pereira D’Oliveira Madeira Malvazia Sweet Frasqueira 1991

Pereira d'Oliveiras are the great small house of Madeira, with the largest collection of old wines in the wine world, much of it dating back to 1850. Colheitas are vintage wines less than 20 years of ageing in cask; north of 20 years, they are called Frasqueiras. Although these wines are categorised into 4 sweetness bands (dry/Sercial, medium/Verdelho and Terrantez, medium-sweet/Boal and sweet/Malvazia), the cold climate acidity of this Atlantic island is a dominant feature in even the sweetest. Malvasia tasting note: A big herbal hit on the nose takes away any possibility of candy over-sweetness. Caramel and grilled nuts run around in a complex of wood notes, and excellent freshness partners aged and developed secondary characters. Herbal-columbine, toffee-tobacco, sweet but smoky and caney. A lashing of acid squeak teases out a long, almost savoury tea-like finish, with sugar memories tumbling along behind.