NV Henriques & Henriques - Madeira 5 Year Old Full Rich (750ml)

Henriques & Henriques was established in 1850 by João Joaquim Gonçalves Henriques, who initially supplied wine to other merchants from the family's own extensive vineyard holdings while quietly building up stocks of aged Madeira in the cellars. In 1925 the firm broke from island convention by becoming the first producer to bottle and export Madeira made entirely from its own fruit. Today the house is led by winemaker Humberto Jardim and still farms Quinta Grande, a terraced ten-hectare vineyard that ranks as the largest single holding on the island, replanted in 1995. That vineyard continues to supply a meaningful share of the grapes behind the firm's wines.

This Full Rich blend draws on local varieties grown across Madeira's volcanic terraces, harvested by hand and fermented on the skins to build color and structure before fortification with grape spirit halts the process at the desired sweetness. The wine then rests for five years in oak, developing through the island's characteristic oxidative aging rather than the slower canteiro method reserved for older bottlings.

In the glass it shows a deep amber color with golden highlights, opening to aromas of candied fruit, dark chocolate, and buttery caramel. The palate is rich and smooth, layering raisin and fig against vanilla and warm spice, with balanced acidity carrying the finish. It suits chocolate cake or crème brûlée, and also pairs nicely with a slice of walnut cake or a firm, aged cheese.