Madeira of the week 9: 1983 ABSL Verdelho

‎1983 Artur de Barros e Sousa Verdelho (Madeira)
Yes, this is a young Madeira. But the Olim brothers who run the family company ABSL makes some of the most elegant, nuanced, fruity and splendid of all Madeiras. Production rarely exceeds 3000 bottles a year, everything hand made, everything in canteiros, meaning heated by air in old lofts. Where can you by it? Normally only at their very old fashioned shop in Funchal. Fantastic! Very pale amber, dried apricots, raisins, bananas, vanilla (and it cannot be from the vastly old barrels....) fantastic layers and complexity. Fresh and high acidity, again nuanced feel, refreshing, lively, intense and still manages to be refreshing, long. 93