Sercial from Madeira's Rare Wine Company brings the pale delicacy that earned Rainwater its name, a style whose true origins remain charmingly opaque, predating the Civil War tales by decades. Crisp minerality and a whisper-light texture make this less a mystery to solve and more a glass to simply drink.
Winemaker Notes
Rainwater took its name from its pale color and delicate texture and flavor. Yet, the origins of the style are shrouded in mystery. Some attributed it to a Savannah wine merchant after the Civil War, but that cannot be, as Rainwaters existed at least a half century earlier. Others said Rainwaters were a freak of nature. Noel Cossart credited his own firm with creating Rainwater in the 1700s, after a barrel of wine was left on a beach.
Tasting Notes
Madeira was once the most prestigious wine in America. And the most prestigious style of Madeira was Rainwater. Rainwater took its name from its pale color and delicate texture and flavor. Yet, the origins of the style are shrouded in mystery. Some attributed it to a Savannah wine merchant after the Civil War, but that cannot be, as Rainwaters existed at least a half century earlier. Others said Rainwaters were a freak of nature. Noel Cossart credited his own firm with creating Rainwater in the 1700s, after a barrel of wine was left on a beach. Rainwater Madeira reached the pinnacle of prestige in Baltimore. In 1902, that city's greatest Madeira connoisseur, Douglas H. Thomas, called Rainwater "the highest standard." And the absence of any Rainwaters in a 1990 New York auction prompted one merchant to speculate that "Baltimore connoisseurs thought so highly of them that they bought them all up and none reached New York." The Madeira in this bottle replicates in style the classic 19th-century Rainwaters.
Professional Ratings
94
VinousThe Madeira Baltimore Rainwater Medium Dry is one of my absolute favorites in this range from Rare Wine Co. With its expressive citrus peel and nutty flavors, this pale, dry Madeira leans into the realm of sherry. Floral and spice notes lifted by bright acids add to its considerable charms. Readers seeking finesse over size and power will love this. This is a style done with less time in wood, low
91
Wine SpectatorLush and spicy, with plenty of buttery notes to the open-textured flavors of chamomile, ripe pear and dried apple. The opulent finish features hollandaise sauce accents. Drink now through 2050. K.M.
91
Wine AdvocateThe new release of the NV Baltimore Rainwater is a special blend of Verdelho and Sercial from Seixal in the north and some 10% Tinta Negra from Câmara de Lobos in the south, with ages averaging seven to eight years for their US importer, Rare Wine Company. It matured in 620-liter oak barrels separately, with the blend created from different wines each time. Rainwater took its name from its pale co
