It had a subtle sweetness with rich flavors of toasted caramel, warm spices, and a touch of vanilla bean. The acidity gave it a fresh balance, and the finish was long with hints of smoke and nuts. Smooth, complex, and unforgettable.
More info…
Madeira wine, especially from the late 18th century, has a storied history and strong ties to early America, including connections to George Washington. Washington was indeed a fan of Madeira wine, as it was one of the most popular and widely consumed wines in colonial America. Its high alcohol content and resilience to spoilage made it ideal for transatlantic shipping, which is why it was a favorite in the colonies.
The bottle you tried is labeled Terrantez 1795, which refers to one of the rarer grape varieties used in Madeira production. By 1795, Madeira was already highly prized, and wines from that year would have been made with great care. Terrantez, specifically, produces wines with exceptional aromatic complexity and longevity.
Historical records show that Madeira was often served during celebrations and important occasions in early America, including the signing of the Declaration of Independence. George Washington is known to have ordered several cases of Madeira over his lifetime and served it to guests at Mount Vernon.
The vintage 1795 makes this wine particularly special, as it would have been crafted shortly after the American Revolutionary War and during the presidency of Washington (1789–1797). It’s highly plausible that Madeira wine of this caliber and style would have been similar to what he enjoyed.
by coachellagraphy
13 Comments
Wowww. Who purchased it and what was the occasion?
Sounds great!
For those more knowledgeable than me, is this a full bottle that’s actually from 1795 or is this one of those situations where it’s like a retopped up barrel that has been topped up several times since then?
I’m intrigued – also by the “established in 1870” on the label – is this a very very old cask, bottled much more recently? Edit: And Terrantez is great
I hate to break it to you, but that wasn’t made in 1795. The label looks way too good, and it even says “established in 1870” on the bottle. Don Julio 1942 wasn’t actually made in 1942…
Terrantez is the grape variety. This bottle is about $15k.
[https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/co+vinicola+da+cvm+terrantez+vintage+madeira+portugal/1/usa-ca-y?srsltid=AfmBOor8ZrJ8gXrKmNqA__fVIjAyvI9VzXmvab8D_BqzgYeob5A9UAuS](https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/co+vinicola+da+cvm+terrantez+vintage+madeira+portugal/1/usa-ca-y?srsltid=AfmBOor8ZrJ8gXrKmNqA__fVIjAyvI9VzXmvab8D_BqzgYeob5A9UAuS)
That label though is problematic for me as a somm, unless it was kept in a hermetic vault for 230 years.
The US Constitution was ratified in 1788.
I doubt George was drinking this last night
I had a Madeira that old once. It was one the best most interesting wines I’ve ever tried. I knew Ron Zimmerman from The Herbfarm restaurant and in 2014 I was working on something with him and we were in the restaurant meeting and it was the off day so it was just us and I was walking out and I saw this wine sitting in a fancy cradle on a table off to the side and a sign talking about how old was around during George Washington’s life. Like 1790 something. Ron told me he bought a case of these bottles and spent a pretty penny on it. He was selling a glass for $1000. He asked me if I wanted to try and I said are you sure and he insisted. Needless to say it was excellent
Super cool experience, thanks for sharing! Love the longevity of Madeira, to think about all the things that have happened since the grapes were harvested and how alive the wine still tastes. I haven’t had anything older than the 1830’s, myself. An 18th century example is certainly on my bucket list!
Oldest I’ve had is a 1929, this is insane I didn’t know these could get drink that old 🤯
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Wow! I’ve never been so lucky, but it’s experiences like this that with all the love, devotion, and sacrifice involved that I consider peak humanity, on par with stuff like the last verses of Paradise Lost, Botticelli’s Primavera, Bach’s Goldberg Variations… The evanescence of something like this wine makes it all the more exceptionally human. It makes me wonder whether someday it can be synthesized and replicated at will like an AI creating the perfect poem, fugue, or painting, and whether it will retain any of its splendor. Surely it is more than taste and history that makes its wonder. To say it’s just a wine is like saying a poem is just words, a painting just paint on a canvas, music just sound, or a person just a body, all of which is true but for the sublime.
I used to have a store in a heavily Portuguese city on the east coast, we had access to Madeira like this, and the family owned importers would often have several ancient casks ready for bottling at any given time. One of my favorite salesmen also happened to own the company, he told me about “triangle trade” casks. These were the barrels that would go through the triangle trade on ships and were the most coveted due to the heat and sloshing aging the Madeira correctly.