For The Love Of Port

Hey Madeira lovers! I've been away from the forum for a while due to some personal stuff going on.

I'd like to get your input on a bottle of madeira I found while catalogueing my father's wine cellar. It's a bottle of Cossart Gordon Verdelho 10yr. I'm not sure I've ever had any madeira, so wanted to get some input on what to expect with this bottle, what "style" it might be, etc. I plan to open it in the next few weeks and would love to know more about it and how it ranks among other repesentative 10yr madeiras.

Of course, the true information I will gather will be from the glass, but wanted some idea from y'all in advance.

Thanks,
Rich G.

Rich,

Welcome back, I wondered why we hadn't seen you in quite awhile.

Anyway, the Verdelho is on the drier style of the spectrum but not the driest (which is Sercial). Cossart-Gordon has always been a very solid producer and I believe you will enjoy this Madeira but normally I recommend Bual or Malvasia (Malmsey) to start out with. But as it is a 10 year old, it will be very easy to approach and I'd open it a day before, decant it and put it back in the bottle. No sediment, but it will improve with a day of air time. Enjoy and please do let us know how you like it!