2 bottles per lot
Details
DERMOT BOLGER OF TORRE BELLA COLLECTION
The vast Torre Bella estate can trace its origin all the way back to the first settlers who discovered Madeira. Some of the best vineyards on the island belonged to Torre Bella, mostly in Campanário, Camara de Lobos, Ribeira Brava and Arco da Calheta. They had "lagares" in São Roque (Funchal), Cª Lobos, Campanário and Arco da Calheta, where they used to make wine. Over the centuries they supplied the shippers with fine wines, though hardly ever was any wine bottled under the Torre Bella name. Only small quantities were bottled and stored in the family house. Noel Cossart describes the Torre Bella wines to have a specific character: “The Wines, which are mostly from the Câmara de Lobos and Arco da Calheta vineyards, are full, rich, well-balanced wines with an attractive acid finish.” Already back in 1864 Christie’s had sold the private Madeira collection of Russell Manners Gordon, Visconde de Torre Bella. The estate was gradually inherited by Mr Dermot Bolger, and at the time of his death the family estate comprised of about 10.5% of the island. Dermot Bolger was also responsible for the revival of Malvasia Candida by replanting this variety in 1940, at which point only a few plants remained. This is surprising as Malvasia Candida was always highly sought after and produced some of the finest Madeiras ever made. All the bottles in this selection came from the old Bolger family and where bottled from their original old demi johns of about 20 litres. While preparing this auction, Christie’s specialists had the opportunity to taste most of these Torre Bella D. Bolger wines. Tasting notes are added where available. The excellent quality was clear, making it easy to understand why the family kept these wines behind for private use. We are delighted to offer a fine selection of these wines in this sale for wine collectors to have a chance to enjoy these historic wines.
D. Bolger, Malvasia 1862
Madeira
Recorked in 2018. New wax capsules with Dermot Bolger family seal. Old three part moulded bottles with stencilling and small bin-soiled 'Malvasia' back label. Levels: into-neck
Tasting note: A beautiful orange color. Expressive aromatic appearance on the nose, high toned with fine orange peel and vintage furniture tones. Impressive intensity, honey cake and straw, very concentrated and attractive at the same time. An intriguing fine rich nose. Unctuous softly sweet taste of apricots with a high toned acidity. Great balance. Quincy after taste of pure peach and passion fruit followed by a return of the concentrated acidity that is just phenomenal. Madeira at its best. This is a great wine. Most recently: Beautiful length of taste. Great elegance and distinction. Clearly the Bolger wines have a high level of quality, with an almost indescribable extra level of depth and aromatic profile. This Malvasia is the highlight of this already impressive series of these Bolger wines. Liquid perfection. Last tasted January 2020. EV.
2 bottles per lot
The vast Torre Bella estate can trace its origin all the way back to the first settlers who discovered Madeira. Some of the best vineyards on the island belonged to Torre Bella, mostly in Campanário, Camara de Lobos, Ribeira Brava and Arco da Calheta. They had "lagares" in São Roque (Funchal), Cª Lobos, Campanário and Arco da Calheta, where they used to make wine. Over the centuries they supplied the shippers with fine wines, though hardly ever was any wine bottled under the Torre Bella name. Only small quantities were bottled and stored in the family house. Noel Cossart describes the Torre Bella wines to have a specific character: “The Wines, which are mostly from the Câmara de Lobos and Arco da Calheta vineyards, are full, rich, well-balanced wines with an attractive acid finish.” Already back in 1864 Christie’s had sold the private Madeira collection of Russell Manners Gordon, Visconde de Torre Bella. The estate was gradually inherited by Mr Dermot Bolger, and at the time of his death the family estate comprised of about 10.5% of the island. Dermot Bolger was also responsible for the revival of Malvasia Candida by replanting this variety in 1940, at which point only a few plants remained. This is surprising as Malvasia Candida was always highly sought after and produced some of the finest Madeiras ever made. All the bottles in this selection came from the old Bolger family and where bottled from their original old demi johns of about 20 litres. While preparing this auction, Christie’s specialists had the opportunity to taste most of these Torre Bella D. Bolger wines. Tasting notes are added where available. The excellent quality was clear, making it easy to understand why the family kept these wines behind for private use. We are delighted to offer a fine selection of these wines in this sale for wine collectors to have a chance to enjoy these historic wines.
D. Bolger, Malvasia 1862
Madeira
Recorked in 2018. New wax capsules with Dermot Bolger family seal. Old three part moulded bottles with stencilling and small bin-soiled 'Malvasia' back label. Levels: into-neck
Tasting note: A beautiful orange color. Expressive aromatic appearance on the nose, high toned with fine orange peel and vintage furniture tones. Impressive intensity, honey cake and straw, very concentrated and attractive at the same time. An intriguing fine rich nose. Unctuous softly sweet taste of apricots with a high toned acidity. Great balance. Quincy after taste of pure peach and passion fruit followed by a return of the concentrated acidity that is just phenomenal. Madeira at its best. This is a great wine. Most recently: Beautiful length of taste. Great elegance and distinction. Clearly the Bolger wines have a high level of quality, with an almost indescribable extra level of depth and aromatic profile. This Malvasia is the highlight of this already impressive series of these Bolger wines. Liquid perfection. Last tasted January 2020. EV.
2 bottles per lot
Special notice
On lots marked with an + in the catalogue, VAT will be charged at 7.7% on both the premium as well as the hammer price.
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