When it comes to looking at the 4th of July from a historical perspective, perhaps no wine holds as much a place in our history as Madeira.  Made on the Portugese island of Madeira, the wine didn’t always start out ruined.  In fact, the wine used to be made as ordinary wine, and was picked up by crews going to the tropics.  The wine would spoil on the trip from the heat, and yet, as it oxidized, it became something new and delicious, Maderized wine.  This process was incredibly expensive,  and thankfully, the folks on the island of Maderia found a way to do it using specialized rooms.

Thanks to the process by which Maderia is made, it has another built in characteristic that lent itself well to earlier colonial America.  It doesn’t go bad (it’s technically already cooked!).  This means that it could be transported across the Atlantic without fear of ruining the wine,  and so the founding fathers happened to consume a lot of it.  So, if you’re feeling the need to have a historical bent on your holiday, how does Broadbent Rainwater Madeira do?

Sight:  A clean and clear caramel, that leans into a woodsy brown.

Smell:  Caramel and pecans waft out of the top, adding in a bit of vanilla as they go.  Hazelnuts come into the picture, and are complimented by a date like character.  There’s a little bit of a spicy, tamarind chutney like note in the background.

Sip:  Despite the color and the hints of sweetness, the body is actually on the lighter end of full.  There’s an expected boatload of acidity here, keeping things lively, and complimenting the hazelnut, pecans, and caramelized notes.  Touches of oak, raisin, dried chili, and hints of smoke come into play.

Savor:  The ending is slightly nutty, and carries a bit of the oak note.  The finish evolves slightly, but hangs around an indiscriminately nutty note.

Broadbent Rainwater Madeira is slightly discombobulated, but overall very enjoyable.  There are lots of high notes that have a little bit of trouble getting together. So while you pick up nuts on one go, you pick up more caramel on another.  Things are not fully rounded out and polished. On the upshot, Broadbent Rainwater Madeira is tasty, and it stays good forever.  Which is pretty darn good  for a measly $16.

Verdict:  Caramel, Nutty, Bright, Oak
Rating: 88
Price: $16
Madeira, Portugal

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