Rare Wine Company Historic Series Madeira Savannah Verdelho NV

93 points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "The NV Savannah Verdhelo Special Reserve (Rare Wine Company) is lovely, wafting from the glass with inviting aromas of fruitcake, warm spices, bitter orange, blanched almonds and dried flowers. Full-bodied, satiny and enveloping, with racy acids, a fleshy core of fruit, nicely integrated sweetness and an off-dry finish, it concludes with a penetrating and mouthwateringly saline finish. (Oct 2020)"

93 points Josh Raynolds (Vinous): "Medium amber with a green rim. Aromas of burnt orange, tobacco, toffee and herbs, with a hint of potpourri adding an exotic component. Broader and deeper than the Charleston, offering sappy orange marmalade, chestnut honey and toffee flavors underscored by tangy acidity. Shows a sweet, nutty quality on the smoky, gently spicy finish. I like this wine's heft and thrust."

93 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "This is probably the most 'historic' of the series, as according to Mannie Berk, as the vast, vast majority of Madeira consumed here in the US in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were Verdelhos. This wine offers up a really lovely and quite high-toned nose of orange peel, spice cake, woodsmoke, a lovely base of soil nuances and a nice dollop of herbal tones redolent of celery seed in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, racy and very complex, with a lovely signature of soil, impeccable focus and balance and a very long, poised and tangy finish. This has around two percent of residual sugar to it, which is pretty much all eaten up by the fine acidity here, so that the overall impression is a well-buffered, but essentially dry wine. Impressive. 2010-2050+. (Jan/Feb 2014)"

92 points Wine Spectator: "Offers a powerful aroma of marzipan and dried tropical fruits, with flavors to match. Shows muscular acidity and plenty of barbecue smoke notes. Vanilla and white chocolate details emerge on the grippy, complex finish, revealing buttery accents. Drink now through 2040. 450 cases imported. (4/30/16)"

Producer notes: "In the 18th and 19th centuries, Madeira was the United States' most prestigious wine, shipped to connoisseurs in major seaports from New Orleans to Boston. The Historic Madeira Series is the creation of The Rare Wine Co., America's leading merchant of rare, old Madeiras, working with Vinhos Barbeito, famed for its library of old wines. Each wine in the series represetns a style of Madeira popular in an early American city.

Savannah was one of the great 'Madeira Cities,' and the wines that entered its port depended heavily on Verdelho for their character. They were dry to semi-dry, with round, nutty flavors and refreshing acidity. Savanna Verdelho celebrates this style and is an excellent aperitif and superb with soups, cheeses and other foods."