Blandy's Sercial 1968
Region: Madeira
Producer: Madeira Wine Company SA
Why we chose this wine
1968: the year the crew of Apollo 8 became the first to orbit the Moon. A Madeira from this vintage is a living piece of history — a wine that has been ageing for generations, owing its character to decades of patient cask maturation.
| Volume | 75.0 cl. |
| Grape Variety | 100% Sercial – the driest and most refined Madeira grape, planted on the island's highest and coolest vineyards, giving the wine a lively, crisp acidity. |
| Drinking window | Ready to drink now — thanks to the nature of Madeira, this wine remains stable for many years, both in bottle and after opening. |
| Serveren bij | Excellent as an aperitif, lightly chilled and served between 11-12°C. Also delicious with almonds, olives, smoked fish or a light consommé. |
| Alc. | 21.0% |
| Vinification | Traditional Madeira vinification: the must from the Sercial grapes is fermented almost to dryness before being fortified (mutage) with neutral grape spirit, resulting in a drier, refined style with lively acidity. |
| Ripening | Aged for more than 58 years using the traditional canteiro method: in oak casks in the naturally heated lodges (armazéns) of the wine house, giving the Madeira its characteristic oxidative character and remarkable longevity. |
What the critics say
Robert Parker Wine Advocate
93/ 100
Published 27-11-2019
“Bottled in 2018 and matured for 49 years in seasoned American oak casks, the 1968 Sercial exhibits a complex bouquet of mocha, baked apple, praline, dates, fine furniture polish and marmalade. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, with tangy acids, good concentration and a long, precise finish. With 59 grams per liter residual sugar and ten grams total acidity, it's a tangy Sercial that benefits considerably from aeration, becoming progressively more complete and integrated: two weeks after opening, the last glass was decidedly the best.”
— William Kelley, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
The producer
Madeira Wine Company SA
This group brings together Blandy's, Leacock's, Cossart Gordon and Miles, and with them an impressive stock of old wines. Chris Blandy and winemaker Francisco Albuquerque make approachable, rounded Madeira with real depth.