I bought this wine about a month ago at Vintages for just under $20 if I remember correctly. Today I opened it alongside the curried mutton stew that I cooked for dinner. Both the stew and the wine were wonderful.
12.5% alc. Completely opaque dark-garnet colour; legs form readily with swirling. Fantastic nose of black olives and band-aid alongside hints of dense cherry-cough-syrup and very subtle hints of French oak. Additional aromas of tar and dried autumn leaves. Completely dry, with excellent grip; the tannins are strong but not at all rough - the six years of so that this wine has spent in bottle are showing. There's excellent integration of the flavours on the palate; spicy oak comes through on the mid-palate; plenty of cherry/medicinal flavour on the palate too. Completely bone-dry and very substantial; a no-nonsense red of the highest calibre. Long, spicy French oak on the finish. Finishes dry and puckery with a slightly bitter note, but again with great balance and integration overall. Truly the best Madiran I've had in quite a while. I really like this property - I'm going to buy more for sure.