O brothers, I miss you!

There’s something about Rua dos Ferreiros 109. An entry to a world not existing anymore. Walking the Canteiro of Artur Barros e Sousa (ABSL) is such a unique experience in a wine world filled with stainless steel and impeccably cleaned floors. No sir, not here. Artur and Edmundo Olim seem to share the same belief as the Single Malt producers in Scotland. A buckle is a buckle and curling the copper still would change the taste of the whisky. No stills here but spider webs, dust, old casks and of course, delicious Madeira wine.What happens if you start cleaning the place? Can’t risk that…

Only a few thousand liters are produced every year at the Olim brothers. No export. You, more or less, have to go there to pick up a bottle, have a chat with the guys and wonder a bit how a small scaled business like this survives. Well, it does and the wines are the reason next to these two gentlemen. No estufagem wines, only canteiro aged. Lighter in style, ethereal and not particularly sweet.  No wonder I miss sitting at the table when Edmundo generously pours the current bottlings. Always new stuff at every visit. You see, here bottling on demand more or less reigns:

”Hey Artur, can you bottle 200 more bottles of the 1983 Verdelho? We’re running out of stock in the shop.”

”Yeah, just have to wash some bottles first….man, Edmundo is killing me.”

Sampling a wine you loved at one occasion at ABSL doesn’t mean it will taste the same five years later, when you visit and to your surprise finds the very same grape and vintage on the shelves. Later bottling probably. More canteiro age.

The best that has happened to Madeira wine the last two decades, in my most humble opinion, is the introduction of Colheita. You get a glimpse of the real stuff, at least in its prime, and only ends up paying 20-25 euros for a bottle.  The 2003 Malvasia is such a glass. Outstanding glass back in March 2010, at the brothers. Time to see if the love is still there.

2003 Malvasia Colheita, bottled 2009, ABSL, 89-90 p

Pale light golden color. Precautious Malvasia nose in the start but it doesn’t take that long before the floral scents show up, together with walnuts, orange peel, fudge, tobacco and  a delicious fennel touch. A charmer simply. On the palate it’s a trademark ABSL. Lighter style, yet full of taste. Again, not that cloyingly sweet (is Madeira that ever by the way?). Orange like acidity backing up. A touch of quince, almonds and dusty summer road. Good length. An honest wine.

Coming soon guys. Start bottling some more for me, will you?

Visit the ABSL site here. For an in-depth article on the brothers, click here.

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