1875 Vintage Sercial; Monet, food, ratings and ramblings.

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There’s something about the paintings of Claude Monet. His impressionist art, which he expressed in an almost simplistic way, has generated many fans for more than a century now. Myself included. Actually it is not difficult to understand why. The paintings, not an imitation of life, but of what he saw, are easy to identify and the feeling of being at the place expressed in the painting, is almost immediate. All of this, together with a sense of well-being when watching Monet’s work, makes it easy to understand the popularity of his paintings and why they today are to be found in so many homes, re-produced as posters.

Everyone can have their Claude Monet on the wall, be it The Seine at Argenteuil, or Woman with a parasol in the garden at Argenteuil. Both painted in 1875. Perhaps this is partially an explanation why art isn’t subject to ratings, why you never see Red boats at Argenteuil receiving a 94 points score? This one also painted in 1875 by the way. You don’t have to travel to a certain museum in the end of the world, you don’t have to ask for permission or pay a hefty amount of money to get a look at it. Everyone can enjoy it – and own it.

Perhaps the phrase ”Everyone can enjoy it” fits on food as well? I’m not stating that everyone can re-create Ferran Adrià’s recipes, but everyone can try. We all have a kitchen, we all cook. Food is something that can be discussed by all of us and we can all let our creativity thrive in the kitchen. Or, we could be copy-cats and follow recipes to the letter. Again, food is not rated because there’s no need. Cooking is practiced by a majority of us, every day.

We can’t all produce wine. For that you need vines, a good vineyard and perhaps live at the right place where the surroundings promote vine cultivation. Many of us doesn’t meet these criterias. We can’t afford to buy a vineyard and the equipment needed – or perhaps doesn’t know how to actually make a wine.

Furthermore we can’t always find a wine due to extremely few bottles being produced of a specific label – or if it’s still available on the market. And you can’t reproduce it just like that. Many of us are simply left out when it comes to being able to find and taste a rare or expensive wine. With this, mystique and a certain magical effulgence emanates around certain brands – the unobtainable ones.

In comparison with art and food, wine can be a pretty expensive experience. Add to that the fact, that the wine you have spent a substantial amount of money on, is perhaps to be tasted for the first time. Hence a high anticipation. You buy a Monet because you love it. There’s also the risk you feel a need for guidance in the right direction before the purchase. Yes, I write risk since already there you have to some extent allowed someone else to choose for you. No wonder that, the for many of us, not achievable or expensive wines, gets envious looks – and points. Scoring wine becomes the wine nerds gossip magazines or a search for confirmation that he or she (?) has made the right choice. Gossip many of us say we despises but can’t stop reading stealthily.

Back to 1875, the year when Claude Monet created the three above mentioned paintings of his. Perhaps you have any of them at home as re-productions? On the opposite, few are lucky enough to have a bottle of the 1875 Vintage Sercial by Pereira d’Oliveira in their ownership. For several reasons; not many produced, not many left. And of course; the price tag isn’t exactly like your average wine purchase. Taking this in to account, it is still pretty emotional drinking a wine produced the same year as Monet’s trilogy above. And when the wine is sensational, you tend to let the wine take you back to 1875, allowing emotions to be added to the experience.

The 1875 Sercial, bottled around thirty years ago at more than hundred years of age, could be the best Sercial I’ve ever had. Just like Monet’s paintings, it’s the overall feeling that counts, not details. The complexity is simply amazing. Nuanced, with fresh walnuts, ground coffee, leather, a touch of smoke and Oolong tea. Ethereal. Gee, I would love to find out how this was at fifty years of age. Or at twenty when it actually had met the criterias for becoming a Vintage.

On the palate there’s a slight salty feel although that only stays for half a second or less. Then lots of nuts, walnuts and a nutmeg feel, Oolong, coffee and the dusty summer road. Incredibly balanced acidity and some sweetness left. Wonder what the residual sugar was hundred years ago in this wine? A never ending finale with a hint of lemon peel.

My words aren’t enough to give the wine justice. Words never can replace or describe emotions. But the memory is there until senility kicks in and that’s what counts. Still, a great experience like this, probably is the main reason why I run a site, solely dedicated to Madeira wine. To share and hopefully lead others in the direction of a 1875 Sercial.

An immortal wine? No. That’s just a stupid expression. It will last for decades but for those lucky owning a bottle or are considering buying one, I wouldn’t recommend hazarding the incredible balance it currently shows. Wines like this simply can’t be re-produced like a painting. Actually, few can make a wine like this and even fewer are willing to let the future generations receive the income and the accolades.

Unselfishness, a rare sight in the modern world but the becomingly way to describe what some of the Madeira wine producers are still all about. Add patience to tha

Do you want to taste it? The 1875 Sercial is still available at the premises of Pereira d’Oliveira, in Funchal. Americans will find it at The Rare Wine Co and Europeans can consult The Madeira Collection in Belgium.

N.B. I have been fortunate to be served this wine at Pereira d’Oliveira. For that generosity I can’t thank Luís d’Oliveira enough.

N.B.2. It takes a real master to make something look simplistic.

MAM Opinion: