1875 | D’Oliveiras | Sercial

Detailed Description

This is a very old Madeira wine, that belongs to the rare fortified wines of great exclusivity. The wine is aged for as long as possible in barrel and is bottled just before export to gain maximum complexity.

Producer Information

D’Oliveiras is an independent Madeira wine producer, located in Funchal on the island’s south coast. It was founded in 1850 by Joao Pereira d’Oliveira and today is well-known for having an expansive library of old and rare Madeiras from the family’s S√£o Martinho vineyards. The cellar boasts vintages of Verdelho dating back to the company’s founding in 1850 as well as Malmsey, Bual and Sercial wines dating back to the 19th and early 20th centuries. There are also old vintages of Terrantez and Bastardo, rare grape varieties that are now almost extinct on the island. Madeiras are aged in cask at D’Oliveira’s cellars, which were built in 1619, and produces some 150,000 liters of wine annually. Wines aged up to 10 years go through the Estufagem process, where the wine is heated in steel tanks to give it the characteristic caramelized flavor. The best wines, those aged for more than 15 years, are heated in barrels in warm, sun-drenched buildings. This is known as the Canteiro process. D’Oliveiras produces three-, five-, ten- and 15-year-old Madeiras, but the company’s best Madeiras are rare, high-quality wines aged for a minimum of 20 years. Bottling is only done according to demand which allows D’Oliveira the ability to age and mature Madeiras in cask for the longest possible amount of time.