1978 Cossart Gordon Bual Madeira

Cossart Gordon & Co. was founded in 1745 and is the oldest company in the Madeira wine trade. Francis Newton, a young Scot, sailed from Gravesend in Britain and arrived in Madeira on September 12, 1745, where he founded the company. He was joined by his younger brother Thomas from 1758 to 1763 and then by another Scot, Thomas Gordon of Balmaghie, also in 1758. Thomas Murdoch joined the firm of Newton, Gordon, Murdoch & Co. in 1791. was named.

By 1850 the company was reportedly supplying "half the growth of the island" and Newton's contacts in America through his brother Andrew (who left Scotland for Virginia) proved very successful and the company acquired an unrivaled reputation as suppliers of refined Madeiras. . The colonies in North America were the largest and most demanding market at the time, so much so that the best production was commonly known as "America Madeira". Madeira played such an important role in American life that it was used to toast the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

This Bual Madeira 1978 is one of the top models of Cossart Gordon, with grapes very specifically from the area of Calheta, the warmest and sunniest area on the island of Madeira. The grapes were harvested by hand in a good vintage in 1978. Then they were treaded with the use of the traditional wooden lagares and then aged for over 40 years in the "Canteiro" system (in old oak barrels supported on long wooden barrels). beams) in the warehouses in Funchal and later in Caniçal. So this great version has matured for more than 40 years and was only bottled in 2021.

In the glass, the wine has a clear, mahogany color with a golden-green hue. In the nose there is a very characteristic, exuberant bouquet, with notes of spices, tobacco and cedar-like exotic woods. In the mouth it is very powerful, medium sweet, but with a very fresh, intense and long finish with hints of a vanilla-like spice.

Only 1047 bottles of the 1978 version were bottled in 2021, so a true collector's item. The bottles have a number on the back label, see also the 360º photo.