Beschreibung:

Verdelho--Solera 1748
3 bottles per lot
Cyprus and Paphos vales, the smiling Loves Might leave with joy fair Madeira's groves; A shore so flowery, and so sweet an air, Venus might build her dearest temple there. From Camoens' Lusiad, 1569, Volume I Canto V HIGHLIGHTS FROM ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST COLLECTIONS OF MADEIRA The following 114 lots represent a careful selection from one the greatest collections of Madeira ever to come to market. Encompassing Solera and Vintage Madeiras from 1748 to 1900 and every grape variety and style. In many cases these Madeiras were sourced from the cellars of the great English country homes sold through Christie's in London during the 1970s and 80s as well as selected private purchases. What sets this collection apart from most others is the fascinating connection to the history of North America and in particular to the East Coast. Some of the Madeiras are named for the ships in which they were transported, some for the families for which they were destined. All of them offer an insight into the vinous culture of upper class society in a different age. This collector has been empassioned by Madeira for over 25 years and has built an extraordinary collection to rival any other. It is with great sadness that these unique bottles are being offered for auction, but with the sincere hope that they find similarly passionate new owners around the globe. We had the pleasure of packing up this cellar and it is with great satisfaction that we can report that this collector is one of the most neat, organized, and fastidious today. Rack after rack of Madeira rested in a beautiful custom wine cellar until we came to catalogue the collection for sale. The consignor chose only those bottles with the best fills for sale, to ensure that those interested in expanding their Madeira collections get only the finest bottles. Sales like this do not come around very often; it was with great intensity that this collector (who is a prodigious connoisseur of fine wines as well) explained his reasoning behind this collection. Madeira, to him, is unique. In his attempts to craft a unique cellar, he has pursued the most desirable Madeiras and added unusual and highly desirable spirits, sherry, ports and Château d'Yquem. (Lots 115-174) All bottles were removed from an impeccably maintained temperature and humidity-controlled home storage facility. Madeira Madeira is the name of both the volcanic Portuguese island off the coast of North Africa, and the fortified wine made there. The four classic types of Madeira are named after the grapes from which they are made: Sercial, Verdelho, Boal and Malvasia. All four of these types of Madeira are still in production today. Three other grape varieties, Terrantez, Bastardo and Moscatel are much rarer and only seen in voluminous and comprehensive Madeira collections like the one offered here today. The majority of Madeira, however, is made from a grape called tinta negra mole , or tinta . Technically, tinta is considered a "good variety" as opposed to a "noble" one and as such, none of the wines in this extraordinary collection contain that grape. Here, we are offering only the finest and noblest. To make Madeira, fermentation of the grapes is usually stopped by the addition of alcohol. This wine can then be additionally sweetened, then undergoes estufa . Estufa , one of the most unique wine making processes in the world, came about quite by accident. Since the majority of the Madeira was made for export, the wine often spent long periods of time ageing in casks being used as ballast in the holds of shipping vessels. When it was discovered that the slow heating of the wine had a positive effect, the merchants preferred that the wine cross the tropics twice in order for it to reach full maturity. Interestingly, a number of the bottles you will find in this offering are actually named after the ships they were imported in, such as The Rebel, Catherine Banks, and The Mexican. This process of heat and controlled o