HM Borges, T Terrantez 1760
Recorked in January 2022. New wax capsule with Borges seal. Stencilled bottle with back label and neck hanger certificate of recorking by Ivo Couto (HM Borges cellar master). Level: into-neck

Old bottling, likely end of the 19th century. From the private reserve of the Borges family. Tasted at the Borges lodge in Funchal.

Tasting note: Uplifting aroma of banana leaf with old vintage furniture wax. Quite perfumed at first, like grandfather’s after shave, which disappeared after some time in the glass. High toned with fine aromas of dried peaches. Multi layered complex nose.
The taste starts quite sweet then flowing out on the palette, unctuous and concentrated on the mid, this wine has clearly been aged in Canteiro for an extended period of time before bottling. Touch warm at first from the alcohol. A strong concentrated taste with a dry after taste and a beautiful touch of bitter. All well in balance like an orchestra, each component has its share in the total. The slight bitter is signature for this impressive Madeira, long cask aging tends to bring up this slight bitter touch.
Very concentrated and intense though with sweet fruit still. After half an hour the nose evolved more to pine wood and other forest aroma’s. The bitter started to be more integrated as the wine developed. Perfection.
The day after from the same bottle showing even better. An open perfumed nose of high toned aromas of banana leaf, Cognac and woodfire. Especially the taste has opened up, now more rounded and balanced. Intense very strong multilayered palette. The fine bitter tone which was prevailing yesterday now is so nicely interwoven in the medium rich long lingering taste. On the finish the typical banana leaf aroma appears again, singing on before slowly and gently fading away.
This is an impressive great legend of a wine with a distinct character and indefinite life. Classic Terrantez of top quality. 100p. Last tasted 8 July 2020. EV.
1 Bottle (75cl) per lot