Product Details
This auction is a preview of a soon to be
listed 240 bottle collection of Rare Madeira Port Wine dating back
to the 1700's.
This collection has been stored in a
state-of-the-art temperature controlled cellar. Each bottle
has been properly stored on its side to preserve the
cork.
The following components are included in
this auction:
● Inventory List here
History of Madeira Port:
MADEIRA, named after the island it is made on,
is like no other wine in the world. Perhaps no greater dedication
has gone into the making of a fine wine, than that which has gone
into the making of Madeira. Its success owes a lot to the primitive
shipping conditions of the seventeenth century.
To reach the New World, the wines passed
through the tropics. The baking it received in the blazing tropical
sun, gave an otherwise light and acidic wine, a softness, depth of
flavor, and a pleasant burnt quality. It was reasoned, if one
crossing of the equator was good for the wine, two had to be better.
By the late 1700's, orders were given to put pipes of Madeira in the
hold of ships as ballast, and send them on round trip voyages to all
parts of the world. A rather unique way to mature wine. The wine
became known as vinho da roda or wine of the round voyage. Why these
wines, exposed to constant rocking, extreme heat, and the barrels
often found soaking in bilge water, were not ruined, is a
mystery.
THE ISLAND OF MADEIRA sat uninhabited in the
middle of the North Atlantic until a certain Portuguese explorer,
Gonslaves Zarco, was blown off course by a violent storm in 1418
while exploring the coast of West Africa. He found sanctuary on a
tiny island he called Porto Santo. While there he saw southwest of
Porto Santo, dark clouds on the horizon described as" vapors rising
from the mouth of hell." Knowing it must be a substantial island, he
set off for the clouds and found beneath them a beautiful garden
island. It was so covered with trees that he named it" wood" or in
Portuguese," madeira."
Zarco was sponsored by the third son of King
João I, Prince Henry the Navigator. Though he could not be called a
practicing mariner himself, Henry was the remarkable prince who was
to set in motion the great age of discovery. As soon as Zarco's
report got back to Prince Henry, he began at once its colonization.
The dense forest were felled and burned – the fires were said to
have burned for seven years – and a great deal of the land was
brought under cultivation. Infante D. Henrique is credited with the
introduction of sugar cane from Sicily in 1452, and in 1453, the
sweet Malvasia grapes from Cyprus or Crete. Until now the Genoese
and the Venetians had a virtual monopoly on sugar and sweet wines.
Henrique wanted to change that. Sugar became the great cash crop.
Madeira produced so much sugar that the price for sugar in Europe
was halved. By the end of the 1400's, Madeira was the world's
greatest producer of sugar. Madeira was flourishing as a Portuguese
colony.
Port of Funchal
Two things conspired to help the growth of
Madeira Wine. As Portugal's possessions expanded into the Americas,
it was found that Brazil was able to produce better and cheaper
sugar. Thus in the late 1500's, the island's farmers found that wine
was a more profitable crop.
Secondly, Mardeira, situated as it is, in the
Atlantic shipping lanes, was a natural port of call for any ships
traveling across to the Americas or south around Africa to Asia.
Thus, almost all friendly ships dropped anchor in the harbor of
Funchal, the regional capital of Madeira. This was good fortune for
Madeira and for its wine trade. Ships making the stop invariably
loaded wine for the voyage. What cinched the deal was a piece of
British legislation in 1665 forbidding the export of European wines
to British colonies except through British ports and in British
ships. The one exception was Madeira. As a result, it became a
regular supplier to all American ships heading west.
The Boston Madeira Party?? America grew fond
of the wine from Madeira and became one of its biggest customers,
buying nearly a quarter of all the wine produced here. By the 18th
century, the British American and West Indian colonies, drank it as
their only wine. Not only was it the preferred wine, but it was so
highly thought of that five years before the Boston Tea Party, it
caused a riot on the docks of that city when British customs
officials tried to impose duties on a shipment of Madeira. It was
used to toast the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and in 1789,
at the inauguration of George Washington.
News of its popularity in America from the
troops returning from the American War of Independence created
connoisseurs of Madeira in Britain as well. Ladies were known to use
it to perfume their handkerchiefs. Officers in the service of their
country demanded 15 bottles of it a month. It was said to have tonic
value as well. It was so recommended for sick or overworked people,
that it was nicknamed the" milk of the old."
The wine industry was at its peak when
disaster struck. Oidium or Powdery Mildew struck the Island. By the
time it was learned that the disease could be controlled by dusting
the vine leaves with sulphur, it had almost destroyed all
production. After a brief period of rebuilding, the phylloxera louse
arrived in 1873. Six thousand acres were destroyed. Only about 20%
were replaced with true Madeira vines. Most were replanted with
European and American hybrids.
When in 1974, a revolution ended 42 years of
dictatorship in Portugal, Madeirans took hold of their future.
Tourism is the Island's largest industry and is aggressively
promoted. Their economy was given a boost when Portugal was admitted
into the European Union in 1986.
In the 1980's, bananas were found to fetch a
higher price per acre than grapes, so many vines were replaced with
banana trees. Bananas are now the Island's biggest agricultural
export.
Regions
THE ISLAND OF MADEIRA is located southwest of
Portugal at a point 400 miles (680km) west of Morocco in the North
Atlantic. Steeply rising up to 6000 feet (1800m) out of the sea,
this lush volcanic subtropical outcrop, is the largest of a
four
Map of Madeiraisland archipelago comprising
Madeira, Porto Santo and the uninhabited Desertas and
Selvagens.
The island is 35 miles (57km) long by 14 miles
(22km) wide, with a population of about 260,000. Almost half live in
the regional capital of Funchal. The island is noted for its natural
beauty. Exotic vegetation abounds in a carpet of green. The terrain
is rugged with Madeira Interior imposing valleys and some of the
highest sea-cliffs in the world. The climate is temperate and the
winters are mild.
Much like Portugal's other great wine region,
the Douro, Madeira is a difficult place to grow grapes. Only about a
third of the island is cultivated. Nearly all of the growing areas
are to be found on small terraces – called poios. Built with
determination, the terraces are carved from bedrock from near sea
level up to heights of about 3250 feet (990m) above sea level. The
vines are trellised high above the ground to reduce the risk of
rot.
Vineyards on the Madeira Coast: The burning of
the forests to clear the land for cultivation in the 1420's, left
the ground covered with an enriching layer of wood ash. This ash
enriched volcanic soil has proved to be quite beneficial for the
growing of grapes. Although the rainfall is heavy, some irrigation
is required as the soil is very porous.
Grapes are grown all over the island, but the
best sites have a southern exposure. The main vineyards are at
Câmara de Lôbos and at Santana on the north coast.
This collection will be carefully packaged
for safe shipment. The shipping charge will also include the
cost of packaging and handling which will be appropriate to the
value of this collection. Payment must be made by cashier's
check or other payment method does not cause the seller to incur
payment processing fees.
By placing an order, you
authorize us to act on your behalf to engage a common carrier to
deliver your order to you. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY BE SOLD AND
DELIVERED ONLY TO PERSONS WHO ARE AT LEAST 21 YEARS OLD. AND BY
PLACING YOUR ORDER, YOU REPRESENT AND WARRANT TO US THAT YOU ARE AT
LEAST 21 YEARS OLD AND THAT THE PERSON TO WHOM DELIVERY WILL BE MADE
IS AT LEAST 21 YEARS OLD AND CAN ACCEPT DELIVERY OF ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGES. When your alcoholic beverages are delivered, the person
receiving delivery will be required to show identification proving
that he or she is at least 21 years old. If any person under 21
years of age fraudulently orders and has wine shipped to them, the
wine will not be released to them, and will be returned to us, and
the cost of return shipping will be charged to the responsible
party.
BY ORDERING YOU AGREE TO
INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS THE SELLER FOR ANY RESULTING CONSEQUENCE
OF A FRAUDULENT ORDER OR ANY MISREPRESENTATION AS TO THE AGE OR
LEGAL ABILITY OF ANY INTENDED RECIPIENT TO RECEIVE SHIPMENT OF
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. If there is any problem with your order,
please let us know. If you find any errors regarding type of wine
and vintage, please contact us via e-mail to kylemackey@ocdepot.com or call us at (949)215-5211.
The Shipping weight of this item is 100
pounds.
Payment Policy:
Payment is expected within 7 days of auction close. We prefer
Paypal, but also accept Money Orders, Cashiers checks, and Personal
Checks. California residents must pay 7.75 % Sales Tax.
Domestic Shipping Policy:
We ship items within 24 hours of receiving confirmed payment! The
buyer pays one shipping charge which covers postage, packaging,
handling, delivery confirmation, and tracking. Our shipping
practices provide for a fast and risk-free transaction. Items under
1 pound typically ship by USPS Priority mail, while heavier items
typically ship by UPS Ground.
International Shipping Policy:
You can calculate the
international shipping charge from US zip code 92653 and with
the weight indicated below (Add $5 International handling charge
because we have to fill out customs forms and wait in line at the
post office). To avoid fraud, we do not ship Internationally until
payment has been received and confirmed. Because tracking and
insurance are not available there is no guarantee for International
purchases. |
