Beijing’s first Madeira tasting and dinner! Simon Zhou of Shanghai's Ruby Red Fine Wines had imported the wines of the Broadbent Madeira Company into China and had arranged for Bartholomew Broadbent – San Francisco-based wine importer and son to Michael Broadbent MW – to visit and present some of their selection. Marc Xing of Cellar Le Pinot had then taken a number of the wines and approached us to help organize a Madeira event and dinner. We chose to present the Broadbent wines with some Macanese food, choosing Macau restaurant Oriental Taipan:
NV Broadbent Vinho Verde
Appearance: light green, slight spritz.
Nose: sour apple fruit.
Palate: refreshing acidity, pleasant apple fruit.
Conclusion: a good expression of this quaffable wine.
Rating: 16/20
Broadbent Rainwater Madeira
Appearance: medium orange-brown colour.
Nose: appealing nose of dried fruits, nuts.
Palate: off-dry, nutty flavours, pleasant acidity, nice length.
Conclusion: on average 3 year-old Madeira from a range of grapes and a good ‘all-round’ Madeira in terms of being a crowd-pleaser.
Rating: 17/20
Broadbent Reserve Madeira 5 Year-Old
Appearance: medium to medium-deep orange-brown.
Nose: candied fruit, nuts, slight tartness.
Palate: mellow palate with softened but still perky acidity, nutty and candied fruit aromas and good length.
Conclusion: another pleasant Madeira blend with some mellowed characteristics from the average age here.
Rating: 17.5/20
Broadbent 10 Year-Old Malmsey
Appearance: deepish brown.
Nose: slightly spicy, candied fruits and caramel like aromas.
Palate: obvious residual sugar matched by good acidity, rich nutty flavours and more caramel. Good length.
Conclusion: a good expression of Malmsey (a.k.a. Malvasia) and almost youthful despite its average age of 10 years.
Rating: 18/20
NV Broadbent Vinho Verde
Appearance: light green, slight spritz.
Nose: sour apple fruit.
Palate: refreshing acidity, pleasant apple fruit.
Conclusion: a good expression of this quaffable wine.
Rating: 16/20
Broadbent Rainwater Madeira
Appearance: medium orange-brown colour.
Nose: appealing nose of dried fruits, nuts.
Palate: off-dry, nutty flavours, pleasant acidity, nice length.
Conclusion: on average 3 year-old Madeira from a range of grapes and a good ‘all-round’ Madeira in terms of being a crowd-pleaser.
Rating: 17/20
Broadbent Reserve Madeira 5 Year-Old
Appearance: medium to medium-deep orange-brown.
Nose: candied fruit, nuts, slight tartness.
Palate: mellow palate with softened but still perky acidity, nutty and candied fruit aromas and good length.
Conclusion: another pleasant Madeira blend with some mellowed characteristics from the average age here.
Rating: 17.5/20
Broadbent 10 Year-Old Malmsey
Appearance: deepish brown.
Nose: slightly spicy, candied fruits and caramel like aromas.
Palate: obvious residual sugar matched by good acidity, rich nutty flavours and more caramel. Good length.
Conclusion: a good expression of Malmsey (a.k.a. Malvasia) and almost youthful despite its average age of 10 years.
Rating: 18/20
Labels: Bartholomew Broadbent, Cellar Le Pinot, Featured Tastings, fortified wine, Madeira, Malmsey, Malvasia, Michael Broadbent, Portugal, Ruby Red Fine Wines, Vinho Verde

