1969 Sercial, Pereira d'Oliveira, Madeira, Portugal

Pereira D'Oliveira

Established in 1820, Pereira D’Oliveira today is run by Anibal, Luis and Filipe D’Oliveira, the fifth generation of the family and the direct descendants of Joao Pereira d’Oliveira who founded the company.

Their philosophy is to produce wines of the highest possible quality with experience acquired over two centuries of wine making. Above all their aim is to produce wines of exceptional balance – powerful and textured with wonderful aromatic complexity, yet balanced by freshness.

They are also in a unique position in Madeira to hold stocks of old and extremely rare wines dating as far back as 1850. Maturing in pipes, these develop slowly and are only bottled to order.

We have selected a range of their wines that spans the classic, noble Madeira grape varieties and the rare, and which draws on the great vintages from the extraordinary and unique collection of wines held in their cellars.

Sercial

Sercial is a white grape and a corresponding style of Madeira wine, one of the four recognised styles of this fortified wine, along with the medium-dry Verdelho, the medium-sweet Bual and Terrantez and the lusciously sweet Malvasia (aka Malmsey).

Sercial is the driest style of Madeira, containing up to up to 1.5 percent residual sugar; Verdehlo (a medium-dry style) has up to 2.5 percent residual sugar while Bual has 3.5 percent and Malmsey Malvasia has more than four percent residual sugar.

Sercial is the last of the white grapes to ripen in Madeira, often as late as mid-October, and is characterised by a high level of acidity. A minimum of 20 years ageing in cask is required for vintage Sercial Madeiras, to ensure that its razor-sharp acidity has softened. Once mature, it makes a perfect apéritif but it can also hold its own very well.

A vintage Sercial Madeira resembles a Tawny Port in colour, yet the nose has pronounced citrus fruit aromas, and as the wine ages the aromatic profile becomes similar to old Rieslings.


 

Sercial

Sercial is a Portuguese white grape variety, commonly associated with the eponymous style of the Madeira fortified wine.

Sercial gives the driest style of Madeira, containing up to up to 1.5% residual sugar; Verdehlo (a medium-dry style) has up to 2.5 % residual sugar and Bual 3.5% and Malmsey/Malvasia has more than 4% residual sugar.

Sercial is the last of the white grapes to ripen in Madeira, often as late as the mid of October, and is characterised by a high level of acidity. A minimum of twenty years ageing in cask is required for vintage Sercial Madeiras, to ensure that its razor-sharp acidity has softened. Once mature, it makes a perfect apéritif but it can also hold its own very well.