NV Sercial Reserva Velha 10 Years

Full stoppered bottle 1,331 g. RS 45 g/l, TA 7.45 g/l. Pale glowing orange. Powerful wood-aged nose, medium-sweet palate that ends so ethereally crisp and dry. Strong whiff of gunpowder/cordite. Orange peel and, despite the alcohol, it tastes dangerously feather-light. Great for sipping on a cold night by itself or with all manner of foods. Long and comforting. (JR)

Fruit from many vineyards across the island, some old. Intense aroma that has the nutty character of madeira as well as ripe fruits, even a touch of lychee, which I have never detected in Sercial before. Fresh and dried pears. Dry, taut, salty and intense without the spirity, raw character of many 10-year-olds. Creamy, nutty, dry finish with a hint of sour apricot. Complex and so delicious and refined for a 10 Year Old. (JH)

10 to 14 years’ maturation in French oak. VA 0.78 g/l, TA 7.45 g/l, pH 3.52, RS 45 g/l. Pale amber. A smoky, flinty note, with stewed apricot and citrus fruit, caramel and a touch of spicy saffron. Fair complexity, but fruit is certainly to the fore. Crisp and dry, with just that touch of sweetness typical of Sercial. Caramelised lemons, spice, walnut and a moderate, toasty finish. (TJ)