TN:McWilliams Mount Pleasant Solera-aged RareLiqueurVerdelho
Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 8:53 am
In the words of my wine-loving friend Jamie, let me commence by saying that this wine had a "rapier-like acidity" which cut through, and simultaneouly kept in check, the sweetness of the wine. The alcohol was noticeable but not overpowering. The initial sweetness was initially so strong that it was evident even on the nose. However, it was never close to that sickening sweetness that one often finds in poor quality fortifieds.
Initally closed, it opened up to the nose beautifully and after some 15 minutes lost a little of its initial sweetness. Strangely, the finish was a little sour and perhaps even ever-so-slightly bitter, but pleasantly do. This sourness or bitterness was lost after the first day and in the ensuing days.
On the second and subsequent days this wine mellowed beautifully yet it's superior breeding remained palpable, with the balance of fruit, sweetness and acidity remaining in balance and later exhibiting a subtle honey characteristic and rancio-like finish.
Finally, just to bore you a little further, here are my more subjective thoughts: this is a wine of unimpeachable quality and pedigree. I can't help thinking that this wine, albeit non-vintage, will be as good 10 years from now as it is now; namely, it my improve in the bottle slightly or not at all but it certainly will not deteriorate. To paraphrase Attila, every now and then one is privileged to experience an exceptional wine. This is one such wine and it sits well with that other exceptional fortified in the McWilliams stable of which I wrote recently: the McWilliams Mount Pleasant Fine Tawny 1979.
PJ.
Initally closed, it opened up to the nose beautifully and after some 15 minutes lost a little of its initial sweetness. Strangely, the finish was a little sour and perhaps even ever-so-slightly bitter, but pleasantly do. This sourness or bitterness was lost after the first day and in the ensuing days.
On the second and subsequent days this wine mellowed beautifully yet it's superior breeding remained palpable, with the balance of fruit, sweetness and acidity remaining in balance and later exhibiting a subtle honey characteristic and rancio-like finish.
Finally, just to bore you a little further, here are my more subjective thoughts: this is a wine of unimpeachable quality and pedigree. I can't help thinking that this wine, albeit non-vintage, will be as good 10 years from now as it is now; namely, it my improve in the bottle slightly or not at all but it certainly will not deteriorate. To paraphrase Attila, every now and then one is privileged to experience an exceptional wine. This is one such wine and it sits well with that other exceptional fortified in the McWilliams stable of which I wrote recently: the McWilliams Mount Pleasant Fine Tawny 1979.
PJ.
