Broadbent Madeira, “Single Cask 117” Boal Online

Broadbent Madeira, “Single Cask 117” Boal

When Jancis Robinson boldly declared that high-quality Madeira “is the world’s longest-living wine,” there was no exaggeration involved. We’ve offered one from 1954 and another from 1840, and a few lucky souls in the world have experienced some at auction from the 1700s. While today’s exceedingly limited 1998 Boal is a baby compared to those, that still doesn’t stop it from being one of the world’s most complex and singular wines. Aged for 21 years in a single barrel, this rare liquid gold unleashes a devastatingly profound, rich, and ethereal experience with a finish that refuses to relent.

Aged for 21 years in a single barrel, this rare liquid gold unleashes a devastatingly profound, rich, and ethereal experience with a finish that refuses to relent. I understand that’s a lot of high praise, but whenever any discerning collector sees Bartholomew Broadbent’s white stenciling imprinted on these notable 500ML bottles, they can assure a breathtaking wine with the power to make time stand still lies inside. He is, after all, a legend in Madeira: After reintroducing this fortified nectar to the US in 1989 and forming a special relationship with Justino’s (one of eight registered wineries on this volcanic island), Broadbent made Madeira the cornerstone of his import company. Today’s rare “single cask” cuvée was bottled in 2019 after Bartholomew tasted every 650-liter barrel of Boal and deemed #117 the absolute standout. For $100, this is among the most intense, pleasurable, long-lasting sips of sweet wine you’ll ever have—and you need not rush to finish your bottle, either! Madeira is famously shelf-stable, so it can be revisited over several weeks and months on the most intimate occasions. Only 88 cases were produced and far fewer remain. Up to four bottles per person. 

NOTE: This special wine is only available as a pre-offer, and is expected to arrive at our warehouse during the second week of January. 

I said that Bartholomew helped “reintroduce” Madeira because this fortified wine has deep ties to American history. If you were living in the United States during its infancy, chances are you were drinking Madeira because the wines, fortified with grape spirit to withstand the rigors of shipping, fared better than the still wines of France on the long trips across the Atlantic.

A Portuguese island 400 miles off the coast of Morocco, Madeira is a wild and extremely remote paradise that is home to a number of indigenous grapes. Four, however, are considered to produce the finest wines: Sercial, Verdelho, Bual (Boal), and Malmsey (Malvasia). Boal generally produces a dark-hued, richly textured, and semi-sweet wine with pronounced acidity. 

The Boal grapes for this wine, sourced from the western and southern stretches of the island, are a result of Broadbent’s long-term relationships with several growers. In 1998, each cluster was de-stemmed, crushed, and gently pressed before a spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks. The fermentation was halted before completion by adding a neutral grape spirit (brandy) which raised the alcohol level to 19% and preserved the remaining natural sugars. After fermentation, the fortified wine was transferred into 650-liter American oak casks and the naturally oxidative canteiro process began. By utilizing the indirect warmth of the sun, the fortified wine became gently “maderized” over the course of 21 years. It was finally bottled with a small amount of sulfur on May 23, 2019. Today’s specific cask, #117, resulted in just over 1,000 bottles (500mL) of wine.

We tend to associate a treacly wine with excessive sweetness, but today’s bottle proves that wrong. For example, this 1998 Boal Madeira contains 88 grams of sugar/liter with a pH of 3.28—compare that to, say, Château d’Yquem which usually clocks in with 130+ grams and a higher pH. In other words, today’s bottling is far drier, higher in acid, and categorically not a dessert-only wine. Honestly, you’ll find me sipping on this while prepping dinner or right alongside a main dish. 

In the glass, a deep amber core reveals itself and expands into fulvous hues on the rim, followed by heady and intoxicating notes of apricot, honey, burnt sugar, bourbon, fruitcake, marmalade, citrus zest, toffee, crushed rock, and brittle. The opulent, full-bodied palate boasts broad, silky smooth layers of lush dried fruits, sea spray, and tangy spices that hit with a pleasing, always-balanced sweetness. After 23 years of flawless integration between sugar, fruit, and minerality, this has evolved into a spectacularly singular wine. If enjoying a glass now, keep the drinking temperature around 55 degrees, and feel free to stow the remainder of your bottle in the fridge, corked tight, for consumption over the coming months. As for your other unopened bottles? Stash them in a dark, cool place and they’ll last as long as you want them to—cheers!