2001 Doce Rich Tinta Negra 92WS
500ml
Leacock's

92 pts Wine Spectator
Singed sandalwood, powdered green tea, ginger peel and date notes are woven together seamlessly, carried by sleek acidity and backed by a long almond husk accent on the finish for added tension. Everything echoes in unison in the end. Drink now. 120 cases imported. - Molesworth

Leacock’s Colheita Tinta Negra 2001 is a single harvest Madeira. This wine was aged for 16 years in seasoned American oak casks in the traditional ‘Canteiro’ system, whereby the casks were gradually transferred from the top floors of the lodge, where it is naturally warmer, to the middle floors and eventually to the ground floor where it is cooler. This process gives Madeira its unique flavor and incredible longevity. The wine was regularly racked and when it reached the desired stage of maturity it was bottled.

My Impression: The biggest thing that drew me to this wine was the lift of the flavors and the excellent acidity, the latter so critically important in these fortified sweet wines. The nose on this is gorgeous and the length is long and fresh with the density of flavor you expect in a top Madeira.

Alcohol by Volume: 19%
Total Acidity: 7.29 g/l (tartaric acid)
pH: 3.46
Baume: (20ºC): 4.7
Residual Sugar: 112.0 g/dm3