NV Rare Wine Co. - Madeira George Washington Special Reserve

Founded by Mannie Berk, The Rare Wine Co. has spent decades reviving the styles of Madeira once beloved by America's Founding Fathers, working closely with winemaker Ricardo Freitas of Vinhos Barbeito. This particular bottling, created in partnership with Mount Vernon, pays tribute to George Washington himself, whose documented fondness for rich, full-bodied Madeira was well known among his contemporaries. Part of the proceeds from each bottle supports the preservation work carried out at Washington's historic estate.

To recreate the Madeira Washington would have favored, Freitas blends wines aged between ten and twenty years with a portion of far older reserves folded in for added depth and complexity. The result lands in the sweetness range of a classic Bual, though the inclusion of those older wines lends it a brighter, more pronounced acidity than a typical Bual would show, echoing the structure of genuinely antique Madeiras.

The wine pours a deep amber and opens with aromas of warm baking spice, candied orange peel, toasted almond, and buttered pastry. On the palate it is medium-sweet and rich, with real weight balanced by that same lively, mouthwatering acidity. It pairs well with roasted duck, pecan pie, or a well-aged cheddar.