RWC Historic Series

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Country of Origin: Portugal
Location: Funchal
People: Made expressly for the Rare Wine Co. | Ricardo Freitas, Winemaker

Items

RWC Historic Series 'Boston' Bual, Madeira DOC Login WS 93 WA 92 AG 93 In Stock
RWC Historic Series 'New York' Malmsey, Madeira DOC Login WA 91 AG 92 In Stock
RWC Historic Series 'Charleston' Sercial, Madeira DOC Login JG 94 AG 92 In Stock
RWC Historic Series 'Baltimore' Rainwater, Madeira DOC Login JG 93 WA 91 AG 94 In Stock
RWC Historic Series 'Savannah' Verdelho, Madeira DOC Login WA 93 AG 90 In Stock

In the 18th and early 19th centuries, madeira was the United States’ most coveted wine. Every public event—from the signing of the Declaration of Independence to George Washington’s Inauguration—was toasted with a glass of madeira. For more than 150 years, no other wine rivaled it in the eyes of connoisseurs. But after the Civil War, madeira wine drifted into obscurity, the victim of a series of natural, political and economic calamities. It was not until the dawn of the 21st century that America once again embraced this enigmatic wine, helped in no small part by The Rare Wine Co.’s creation of its Historic Series.

The goal of these remarkable wines is to introduce a new generation of American wine lovers not only to the history of Madeira, but to the wine’s magical quality: its astonishing bouquet, its glorious richness and balance, and its versatility as an aperitif, dessert wine and food wine.

With this in mind, in 1998, Mannie Berk, owner of The Rare Wine Co., began working with Vinhos Barbeito’s owner, Ricardo Freitas, to create a series of madeiras reflecting the style and complexity that enchanted our forefathers. The Rare Wine Co. had long been known as America’s preeminent source of vintage madeiras from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries; yet, Ricardo was perfectly positioned to help us. He possessed a remarkable library of old Madeira, but he also had a unique understanding of the qualities Mannie sought. Also, he could contribute wines ranging in age from ten to sixty years, allowing The Rare Wine Co. to produce superbly complex, aged Madeiras at affordable prices.

To emphasize America’s deep historical connection to Madeira, each wine in the series is named for a U.S. city where Madeira was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Thus, Charleston Sercial and Savannah Verdelho celebrate the South’s love of drier Madeiras, while Boston Bual and New York Malmsey acknowledge the North’s appreciation of sweeter Madeiras. Each bottle bears an early engraving from that city, along with a back label describing the wine and America’s special link to Madeira’s illustrious history.

Among the many virtues of Madeira is that it is not subject to temperature variations, so that it can be stored just about anywhere in the home. It also keeps for months, if not years, after opening. Just put a cork or stopper in the bottle, and store it in your wine cellar or even a kitchen cabinet.

Media Links
Chicago Tribune: Madeira - a historic sip

Reviews

  • RWC Historic Series 'Charleston' Sercial, Madeira DOC
    John Gilman View from the Cellar
    Rating: 94 (3/1/2014)

    I really like the Rare Wine Company’s Charleston Sercial bottling, which is one of my favorites in their fine historic Madeira bottling series. This wine only has one percent residual sugar, which with Madeira’s inherent tangy acids, comes across as quite dry, but beautifully buffered. The bouquet is a first class blend of white cherries, oranges, a touch of nutskin, fresh nutmeg, smoky overtones and a lovely base of soil. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and beautifully transparent, with a superb core, racy acids and stunning tension and purity on the superbly focused and very long finish. This is really a terrific bottle! 2010-2060+.
  • RWC Historic Series 'Baltimore' Rainwater, Madeira DOC
    John Gilman View from the Cellar
    Rating: 93 (3/1/2014)

    I had the pleasure to try the Baltimore Rainwater bottling while visiting with Ricardo Diogo Freitas at Vinhos Barbeito, as I had not yet tried it here in the states. To give you some idea of how serious both Mannie Berk and Ricardo Diogo Freitas take this series of wines, the 159 Rainwater is made from a blend of Sercial and Verdelho! The very complex nose offers up a blend of fresh apricot, a touch of Myer lemon, lovely soil tones, a bit of briny ocean breeze and a nice topnote of green olive. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and very elegant, with a lovely core and excellent length and grip on the focused and very refined finish. Soft as rainwater, as the saying goes…. 2014-2070.
  • RWC Historic Series 'Boston' Bual, Madeira DOC
    The Wine Spectator
    Rating: 93 (4/30/2016)

    Nutty aromas and flavors are filled with buttery notes in this plush and sweet style. Dried apricot and mango details add to the richness. Finishes with seductive smoke, dried beef and cocoa powder components. Drink now through 2050.
  • RWC Historic Series 'Baltimore' Rainwater, Madeira DOC
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 91 (10/15/2020)

    The latest release of the NV Baltimore Rainwater is showing well, mingling aromas of ripe peach, candle wax and dried fruits with hints of walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, ample and enveloping, it's fleshy and elegantly satiny, with a lively core of fruit, nicely integrated sweetness and a nicely defined finish. This bottling, based on young Verdelho, is crafted to evoke the Rainwater Madeiras of the 19th century—wines that were especially prized in the city of Baltimore.
  • RWC Historic Series 'Boston' Bual, Madeira DOC
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 92 (10/15/2020)

    Aromas of figs, dates, warm spices, espresso roast and candied peel introduce the latest bottling of the NV Boston Bual (Rare Wine Company), a medium to full-bodied, rich and elegantly muscular wine with a generous core of fruit, nicely integrated sweetness and a racy spine of acidity, concluding with a saline finish. This cuvée is intended to evoke the richer styles of Madeira that were historically popular in the northeastern United States
  • RWC Historic Series 'New York' Malmsey, Madeira DOC
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 91 (10/15/2020)

    Rich and exotic, the NV New York Malmsey (Rare Wine Company) mingles aromas of gingerbread and cloves with notions of Christmas pudding, molasses and figs. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it's fleshy and muscular, with lively balancing acids and a long, lusty and generously spiced finish. This would work beautifully with rich desserts.
  • RWC Historic Series 'Savannah' Verdelho, Madeira DOC
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 93 (10/15/2020)

    The NV Savannah Verdhelo Special Reserve (Rare Wine Company) is lovely, wafting from the glass with inviting aromas of fruitcake, warm spices, bitter orange, blanched almonds and dried flowers. Full-bodied, satiny and enveloping, with racy acids, a fleshy core of fruit, nicely integrated sweetness and an off-dry finish, it concludes with a penetrating and mouthwateringly saline finish.
  • RWC Historic Series 'Savannah' Verdelho, Madeira DOC
    Vinous
    Rating: 90 (12/8/2022)

    The Madeira Savannah Verdelho Special Reserve is redolent of cloves, caramel, brown sugar, leather, cedar and tobacco. There's a good bit of brightness and acid to play off the generally mature flavors in this light to medium-bodied Madeira. Floral accents lift the finish beautifully.
  • RWC Historic Series 'New York' Malmsey, Madeira DOC
    Vinous
    Rating: 92 (12/6/2022)

    The Madeira New York Malmsey Special Reserve is a rich, heady wine. It offers gorgeous depth and layers that open beautifully in the glass. Dried flowers, cloves, fruitcake, leather, chocolate, cedar and tobacco are nicely amplified in this generous, inviting Madeira. All the elements are so well balanced. This is a standout.
  • RWC Historic Series 'Charleston' Sercial, Madeira DOC
    Vinous
    Rating: 92 (12/6/2022)

    The Madeira Charleston Sercial Special Reserve is a light-bodied, floral Madeira. Dried flowers, mint, cinnamon, pine, cedar and mint are nicely delineated. Vineyards at elevation yield grapes that are harvested late at relatively lower sugars, yielding a Madeira that is especially dry. There's good complexity here. The Sercial is a fine choice for readers who appreciate the drier style of Madeira.
  • RWC Historic Series 'Boston' Bual, Madeira DOC
    Vinous
    Rating: 93 (12/6/2022)

    The Madeira Boston Bual Special Reserve is one of the richest and most potent of the Madeiras in the Rare Wine Co.'s Historic Series. A dark, brooding Madeira, the Boston Bual is packed with dark macerated cherry, mocha, spice, worn-in leather, tobacco and dried herbs. It's a beautiful Madeira to drink at the end of a meal with cheese or bittersweet chocolate, which seems like the most obvious choice. This is an especially large-scaled,dramatic Madeira.
  • RWC Historic Series 'Baltimore' Rainwater, Madeira DOC
    Vinous
    Rating: 94 (12/6/2022)

    The Madeira Baltimore Rainwater Medium Dry is one of my absolute favorites in this range from Rare Wine Co. With its expressive citrus peel and nutty flavors, this pale, dry Madeira leans into the realm of sherry. Floral and spice notes lifted by bright acids add to its considerable charms. Readers seeking finesse over size and power will love this. This is a style done with less time in wood, lower acidity and less sweetness inspired by the wines of the early 1800s.