Wine Advisor
Blandys, Malmsey Colheita Madeira 1996
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
The 1996 Malmsey bottled in 2025 has a floral and perfumed nose with hints of honey and beeswax intermixed with notes of grilled ripe peach, caramelized ginger, noble woods and sweet spices, with a lifted note. It has a medium-bodied palate that is quite balanced and elegant, with 20% alcohol, a pH of 3.35, 9.4 grams of acidity (0.84 grams of volatility) and 140 grams of residual sugar. It is sweet and rich, long and pungent. It was produced with grapes from São Jorge, so I suspect with Malvasía de São Jorge grapes, matured in oak casks at room temperature in the "canteiro" system.
About the Producer
The Wine Lodge was bought by John Blandy in the mid-19th century and not only was it an extremely valuable property, but was also very useful due to the fact that it was directly connected to the family’s town house. Each of the Wine Lodge’s ageing rooms have their own character and due to the differing temperatures and humidity, the wines all have differing ageing profiles based on their location. The eastern warehouse holds wine dating back to 1920. Today the Blandy’s Wine Lodge is the heart of the family’s wine business where over 650 barrels and vats are stored, ageing the finest of the family’s wines in the traditional canteiro method. Michael and Chris Blandy, members of the 6th and 7th generations of the family, continue to work in the company, which is currently run by Chris.
