Cossart Gordon Bual Madeira 1987 (750ML)

98 DE / 95 WE / 94 WS / 17.5 JR / 93 WA / 91 VM

Platinum Best in Show-Decanter World Wine Awards 2017

Wonderful depth of walnut and raisin fruit on the nose with hints of sweet spice and herbs. Sweet, intense and complex on the palate, bursting with fruit and a powerful streak of acidity. English marmalade on the finish. Platinum Best in Show-Decanter World Wine Awards

This magnificent wine is rich and intense with toffee and rare spice flavors. It is so concentrated— old gold in character and color with acidity that cuts through the sweetness and makes the wine so beautifully concentrated and crisp at the same time. Drink now. Roger Voss – Wine Enthusuast

This leans toward the rich side, with a smoky accent weaving around the walnut, toasted sesame, date and pistachio notes. Racy, edgy acidity ripples underneath, giving this length and contrast. Distinctive and delicious. Drink now. 180 cases made. — JM – Wine Spectator

Light sienna. Bitter caramel but strong toffeed sweetness on the nose. Deep bitter orange, so tangy. Dark Oxford marmalade. Intense and so fresh and pointed, driven. Clean lines and much tighter and less viscous than some. (JH) Julia Harding MW – Jancis Robinson

Bottled in 2016, Cossart Gordon's 1987 Bual is showing well, opening in the glass with aromas of orange rind, preserved lemon, figs and warm spices, as well as subtle hints of praline and mocha, a touch of volatility dissipating in the decanter. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, it's a fine-boned, elegant wine that is built around a spine of tangy acidity and concludes with a penetrating, nicely defined finish. This 1987 fleshes out considerably with 24 hours of aeration, so planning ahead when opening bottles is recommended. William Kelley – The Wine Advocate

The 1987 Bual from Cossart Gordon (Bottled 2016) had a burnished amber color, perhaps a little deeper than I was expecting given its age. It has a reasonably complex bouquet with marmalade, molasses, toffee apple and a subtle seawater scent. The palate is clean and fresh, nimble for a Bual thanks to the fine line of acidity. I actually discerned more complexity in the mouth than on the nose as flavors of walnut, Chinese 5-spice, smoke and marmalade lead the way on the focused and sustained finish. Leaving the bottle aside for 24 hours, I did notice some improvement in the nose, which my score reflects.-- Neal Martin – Vinous Media