Henriques & Henriques, Sercial, Single Harvest Madeira - 2001

The archipelago of Madeira is located 520 km off the African coast and 1,000 km from the European continent. It is roughly equally south as Bermuda so you would not think that this would be the birth place of one of the great fortified wines in the world. And yet, here is a beautiful example of this beautiful wine. Sercial (Ser-Seal) is on the drier side of the spectrum of sweetness for Madeira with racy mineral acidity and aromas to beat the band. When you open this bottle and pour a glass you instantly know you are dealing with something special and those floral, sweet dried fruit notes, baking spices, and a briny almost salty quality fills the air and every nose around. Pair with just about any cheese from rich and creamy to salty and funky.