NV Blandy's - Madeira Sercial 5 Year Old

John Blandy arrived on Madeira in 1808 and, alongside his brothers Thomas and George, founded the company in 1811. More than two centuries and seven generations later, the family remains the only one of Madeira's founding houses to still own and manage its original business, now led by Chris Blandy and operating in partnership with the Symington family since 1989. Blandy's farms several hectares of its own vineyard, including Quinta do Bispo, and achieved B Corp certification in December 2022, reflecting a broader commitment to sustainable practice alongside its long-standing traditions.

This Sercial comes from grapes grown on Madeira's cooler, higher slopes, sourced from vineyards around Porto Moniz, Seixal, and Câmara de Lobos, where the variety retains its naturally high acidity. Fermentation runs for five to six days off the skins using natural yeast in temperature-controlled tanks before grape spirit is added to halt the process, leaving the wine dry. It then ages for five years in American oak casks under the canteiro system, gradually moved from the warmer attic lodges down to Funchal's cooler ground floors.

The wine shows a pale topaz color with a golden tinge, offering fresh aromas of dried fruit, wood, and citrus. The palate stays crisp and dry, with a nutty, persistent finish carrying notes of orange peel and light spice. It works well chilled as an aperitif, and also complements oysters, light fish dishes, or a fragrant Indian curry.