Justino Henriques Old Madeira Medium Dry 5 Years is a non-vintage Madeira, aged in oak casks for a minimum of five years. The Justino Henriques Madeira company, founded in 1870, has a long history and expanded its international reach through a cooperation with La Martinquaise in 1993. This Madeira is celebrated for its versatility, making it an excellent choice as an aperitif or with a variety of dishes. 【Versatile Madeira, excellent as an aperitif or with desserts, known for its complex nutty and dried fruit profile.】 This Medium Dry Madeira presents a classic gilded amber or golden shiny color. On the nose, it is very fresh with elegant and intense aromas, featuring hints of dried fruit, honey, crushed hazelnuts, walnuts, and a touch of black treacle. The palate is compelling, with a pleasant dry touch, good dried fruit notes (mainly nuts and almonds), great acidity, and a warming, mouthfilling melange of flavors including toasted nuts, apricot, bitter Oxford marmalade, candied orange peel, dried peach, nectarine, grilled nuts, salted butter caramel, furniture polish, and coffee beans. It finishes long, complex, elegant, zesty, and salty, reminiscent of walnut. For serving, as an aperitif, it is best at 10ºC, while as a dessert wine, 16ºC is recommended. Generally, serving between 12-14ºC is ideal. Store the bottle upright, protected from sunlight, in a moderate atmosphere without significant temperature variations. It is bottled ready-to-drink and will keep for several months in good condition after opening. Food pairing suggestions are diverse: as an aperitif, it pairs well with starters, light soups, consommé, olives, and smoked ham. For richer pairings, consider dried fruit, butter cookies, dark chocolate, honey cake, sweet desserts, Christmas cakes, tarte tatin, or toffee pudding. Surprisingly, it also makes an awe-inspiring match for strong blue cheeses, game dishes, and mushrooms. This Madeira is an excellent choice as an elegant aperitif for a formal dinner, a sophisticated digestif after a rich meal, or paired with a range of desserts at a festive gathering. Its versatility also makes it a superb addition to a cheese and charcuterie board.