NV Blandy's - Madeira Malmsey 20 Year Old (500ml)

Blandy's dates back to 1811, when Englishman John Blandy settled in Funchal and entered the local wine trade. More than two centuries later, the family remains the only one of Madeira's original founding houses to still own and manage its original business, a distinction that has made it one of the island's most recognized names. The wines are produced and aged at the historic Blandy's Wine Lodge in central Funchal, a complex that also holds one of the world's deepest reserves of old Madeira, alongside a newer winery site in Caniçal built to handle the earlier stages of production.

This Malmsey draws on Malvasia grapes grown largely around São Jorge on the island's north side, hand-picked and given a brief maceration before a short fermentation with natural yeast. Grape spirit is then added to arrest fermentation and lock in sweetness. The wine ages for an average of twenty years across a blend of vintages, moved gradually through the canteiro system from the warmer upper floors of the lodge down to the cooler ground level as it matures and develops.

The wine pours a dark mahogany with golden glints and opens with a bouquet of rich fruitcake, honey, brown sugar, and warm spice. On the palate it is sweet yet lively, full of dried fruit and dark chocolate, closing on a long, warm finish touched by old brandy and toasted nuts. It suits rich desserts like fruitcake or chocolate torte, and also pairs nicely with strong coffee or a cigar after dinner.