Broadbent, 'Rainwater', Madeira, Portugal, NV

Overview of the Wine
Michael Broadbent is considered the world's most experienced taster of Madeira. He went to the island to select the best wines for the Broadbent Madeiras. This resulted in a collaboration with Justino Henriques, the most important producer of classical Madeira. Produced only from the finest grapes grown on the island, Broadbent Madeira's are made in strict accordance with the traditional methods.

Bartholomew’s love for Portuguese wines stems from their eminent drinkability, restrained alcohol levels and the balance which makes them versatile enough to pair with all kinds of everyday dining. Bartholomew worked on building the market for at least 10 major Port brands, so it was only natural that his next step would be to develop his own. He was looking to make wines which were friendly on the palate, yet with enough quality to please the discriminating connoisseur, at an affordable price. Thirty years in the making, after recruiting one of Portugal’s most respected and accomplished winemakers, his full range of Ports is now released, offering timeless elegance and classic pedigree

Grape / Blend
Various indigenous varietals

Origin
Madeira, Portugal

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Aged in oak casks for at least 3 years. Esteemed for its concentrated aroma and subtle flavor, it can be served as an apéritif or as an after dinner drink. Madeira, warm and luscious in both its dry and sweet variations, makes an excellent wine for winter and the holiday season. Clear dark reddish-copper in color, it breathes classic and very appealing Madeira scents of dried dates and figs and mixed nuts. Smooth and gently sweet, it's not a "sticky" dessert wine but shows good fresh-fruit sweetness built on Madeira's sturdy core of tart, lemony acidity.

The history of Madeira wine stretches back to the Age of Exploration, when Madeira was a frequent port of call for ships whose captains would fuel up on wine—fortified to prevent spoilage—for their trans-Atlantic journey. The blazing heat of the sea voyage transformed the flavor of the wines, a metamorphosis reproduced by a process called estufagem during which the wines are heated to as high as 60°C (140°F) and oxidated. Begun in 1996, Broadbent Madeira was inspired by Bartholomew Broadbent’s father, Michael Broadbent, who called Madeira his “desert island wine,” and who played a crucial role along with his wife, Daphne, in sourcing the wines and establishing the blends.

90 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The NV Rainwater Medium Dry is an attractive wine, displaying aromas of fresh walnuts, dates and orange peel. On the palate, it's full-bodied, satiny textured and delicately sweet, with succulent acids, excellent definition and an elegantly middle-weight, drinkable profile that's true to the category. This bottle was shipped in 2015.

Product size: 750ml