Leacock's Rainwater Madeira

Winemaker Notes:  Made from Tinta Negra Mole grapes collected from multiple small, terraced vineyards that cling to the steep mountainous slopes of the island, this is a medium-dry wine combining soft fruit flavors with a dry, nutty quality. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks until a neutral grape spirit brandy is added to stop the fermentation. Following fermentation, the wine undergoes a heating process, estufagem, where it is placed in cask in a special lodge or estufa where it will remain for at least three months. This heating process oxidizes the wine, giving it a very long shelf life and its characteristic nutty, rich flavors.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Wine Spectator - "Delicious, smoky style, with a good balance to the off-dry caramel and butter cream flavors and the ripe melon, apricot and tropical fruit elements."