H&H Special Dry Tinta Negra 5 Yr

H&H Special Dry Tinta Negra 5 Year is a fortified wine at 19% ABV in a 750mL bottle — 100% Tinta Negra in the driest Tinta Negra style, heated 90 days in estufagem then aged five years in large cask at Henriques & Henriques, Madeira — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.

• ABV: 19% vol
• Size: 750mL
• Grapes: 100% Tinta Negra (per US importer)
• Sweetness: dry (seco especial — the driest Tinta Negra style)
• Aging: 90-day estufagem, then minimum 5 years in balseiro (large cask)
• Origin: Henriques & Henriques — Câmara de Lobos, Madeira DOC, Portugal (est. 1850)

Dry Madeira's Workhorse

"Seco Especial" — Finest, Dry — is H&H proving that Tinta Negra can play the dry game with the best of them. The importer's shelf notes describe a nutty, smoky bouquet over a dry, energetic, expansive palate etched with roasted almond, mandarin orange, and dried honey — and call it excellent as an aperitif, which is where this wine earns its keep. Five years in balseiro after the 90-day estufagem gives it more structure than the 3-year Rainwater while staying at the dry end of the shelf. Explore more Henriques & Henriques, or compare the Rainwater 3 Year for the off-dry counterpoint.

Tasting Notes

Roasted almond, mandarin orange, and dried honey over a nutty, smoky bouquet. Dry, energetic, and expansive — the structure of five years in cask with Tinta Negra's natural body behind it.

How to Enjoy

Serve chilled (54–59°F) as an aperitif in 2–3 oz pours — its natural home. Also built for the kitchen and the cocktail shaker: use in place of dry vermouth for a nuttier martini, or pair with olives, charcuterie, and grilled vegetables. Keeps indefinitely once opened.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "Seco Especial" mean?
"Special Dry" — H&H's designation for its finest dry Tinta Negra Madeira.

Is it the same grape as the Rainwater?
Yes — both are Tinta Negra, but this is the dry style aged five years (vs. the Rainwater's off-dry three years).

Can I use it like dry vermouth?
At 19% ABV and dry-nutty, it works well in martinis and stirred cocktails that call for dry vermouth — with more character.

How long does it keep after opening?
Effectively indefinitely, like all Madeira.

For the dry end of Tinta Negra: order H&H Special Dry Tinta Negra 5 Yr online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.