Sercial Dry Colheita (bottled 2013, 14yo) 1999

Bottled in 2013 at 14 years barrel aged. Aged via the canteiro process, which stacks barrels in warehouses, where the wine is gently warmed to create madeira's distinct style. 100% Sercial, with between 20-60g/L residual sugar. 

With age comes a fuller array of complex wood-volatile-ester secondaries: here, the beautiful smell of an old cricket bat embalmed in linseed oil, along with deep grilled nut edged by citrus rind, with brandy snap and ginger cookie touches. In the mouth, marmalade and grilled nut lead into a rainwater shower of juicy acid so typical of these beautiful wines. Firm spirit dryness gives the mid-palate a hold, at which point it's almost peaty sweet and then comes a long, fine earthily dry end, which is almost ruler-straight, but gentle - unforced, and not forceful, a wine of considerable grace.