Yet prolonged research among army lists yielded no mention of a John Blandy serving in Madeira. It has long been said that John Blandy, the founder of the family business, arrived in Madeira in 1807 aged twenty-three as a quartermaster to General Beresford, commander of the British garrison. Nearly one year later and the wine has developed in bottle to produce a wine which we believe could become one of the great Madeira Malmseys.” We held the wine back after bottling for a year to round out the prominent acidity. Our 1988 vintage report indicated that this vintage is regarded as one of the best quality Madeira vintages of the decade. “When our Winemaker Francisco Albuquerque presented this wine to our family in the beginning of 2013 we recognized its potential. Seventh generation Chris Blandy, CEO of Blandy’s Madeira, is very excited about announcing the release of the 1988 Malmsey. Under European Union Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) regulations, the minimum a vintage Madeira wine must be aged for is 20 years. The grape has high levels of sugar and acidity, a perfect balance for this style of Madeira. Malmsey, the richest and best known of the four noble grapes of Madeira, is thought to be the original grape grown on the island. This wine is made from the Malmsey (Malvasia) grape on the island of Madeira, where the Blandy family has long-standing relationships with more than 26 growers. It is used for only the highest quality Madeiras in which the wine is heated naturally by the sun in the south-facing lofts of the Blandy’s Wine Lodge where temperatures can soar as high as 43oC. Maturation followed the traditional “canteiro” system, which the Blandy family has practiced for more than 200 years. It was then placed on the 2nd floor for 2 years before spending the remaining 20 years on the 1st floor of the lodges. The 1988 Malmsey aged in American oak casks for a total of 25 years and started its ageing program in the Sotão de Amendoa (the Almond Attic, on the 4th floor) in Blandy’s lodges in the centre of Funchal, where it remained until 1991. Malmsey 1988 is the first vintage release since 2009. Today at the Big Fortified Tasting, in London, Blandy’s will showcase its latest exclusive vintage Madeira. BLANDY’S MADEIRA RELEASES 1988 VINTAGE MALMSEYįunchal, Madeira - Portugal, 24 de Abril de 2014 – Blandy’s, synonymous with superior Madeira wines, announces the release of its 1988 Vintage Malmsey.
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