Blandy's Sercial Madeira 1989

96 points Luis Gutiérrez (Wine Advocate): "[$400 list] The vintage Madeira 1989 Sercial was produced with grapes from trellised vines in Jardim da Serra and Seixal from handpicked grapes over the course of several weeks, mostly on volcanic soils. It matured in used 650-liter oak barrels at room temperature until bottling. This was the first wine that fermented with temperature control and very high extraction, lots of extract. It's very powerful, with a hard edge and lots of acidity. It has the notes of low tide and iodine, seaweed, very salty, reminiscent of some Palo Cortado. This is a wine to sip slowly and age forever... This is not a wine for everyone, but I love it. There are 1,137 bottles and some larger and smaller formats. It was bottled in April 2024. Drink: 2024-2040. (12/5/24)"

95 points Wine Enthusiast: "The long wood aging shows well in this wine's aroma. This is a dry style of Madeira, impressive for its longevity and intense old gold and spice flavors. It is a remarkable wine that is ready to drink. (Nov 2024)"

18.5/20 points Richard Hemming, MW (JancisRobinson.com): "That's a nuclear warhead of a nose: it detonates with relentless fruit plus mahogany, caramel and smokiness. It's intensely dry and with the strongest, nuttiest complexity. There is no deterrent! Drinking Window: 2024-2047. (10/16/24)"

Amber gold with an old gold nuance. Very exuberant and characteristic. Volatile, almost spicy on the nose, with pronounced notes of citrus jam and spice. Very fresh, dry, with invigorating intense acidity, leaving a very long fresh aftertaste, releasing notes of exotic wood, spice, ginger and aged brandy.