Madeira

Whether you immediately think of wine or the island both are interconnected. Madeira wine can only be produced on the island of Madeira, around 1000km from mainland Europe. Like many archipelagos, the four islands (Madeira, Porto Santo, Desertas and Selvagens) were formed from volcanic eruptions however, unlike the Azores the volcanoes haven’t been active for over 6000 years. 

How is Madeira wine made?

Madeira is a fortified wine. This means high strength alcohol (above 96% abv.) is added whilst the grapes are fermenting to kill the yeast and achieve the desired level of sugar. The resulting wine is then between 17.5-21% alcohol. Depending on the style (see styles below) the fortified wine then enters the Canteiro or Estufagem process to age and develop the oxidative flavours (from exposure to oxygen in the air). 

Estufagem is the cheaper method used for younger, bulk wines. It is quickly heated in the tanks for around 3 months. This caramelizes the sugars in the wine creating the associated caramel or molasses flavours depending on the grapes used. 

The Canteiro process allows the wines to be slowly aged in warm rooms. This was the traditional way of making Madeira wine and the top quality wines can only be produced this way. 

The Grapes 

Madeira is dominated by 5 grape varieties; Tinta Negramole (aka Tinta Negra), Serical, Verdelho, Boal and Malvasia. A few other grapes are recommended including Terrantez, known for its exceptional quality but very little is planted on the island. There is a vast number of growers on the island and only one property, Henriques & Henriques, owning a sizable amount of vineyard land. This means the producers have to work with a vast number of growers who each have tiny vineyard plots, some as small as just one row!

Tinta Negramole (aka Tinta Negra)

This is by far the most planted grape on the island and one of the only red varieties grown. It is popular due to its high yields and disease resistance. There is no set sweetness level for this variety and the styles greatly vary. The majority of younger or lower quality wines will be produced by this grape, however, there are also some exceptional Colheita wines produced. 

Serical

Used to produce the driest styles of Madeira it gives wines with a citrusy, mineral and walnut flavour. It grows best at higher altitudes or on the much cooler north of the island where the naturally high acidity remains. 

Verdelho

An extremely popular and well-regarded variety, historically it was the most planted grape on the island however, its hectarage greatly reduced after phylloxera and its susceptibility to powdery mildew. Typically, the wines have flavours of hay, light caramel, spice and are medium dry. Henriques & Henriques are a producer to watch out for when it comes to Verdelho as they own all of their Verdelho vineyards, the only company to do so. They have a great range of Verdelho wines including a single vineyard style. 

Boal 

Producing rich wines with pronounced flavours of cinnamon, dried orange, caramel and chocolate. The name Boal actually includes several different varieties that fall under the ‘Boal’ umbrella. It needs warmth to reach a good level of ripeness but is relatively easy to grow and therefore popular. 

Malvasia.

Also known as Malmsey by the British this is the richest, sweetest variety with flavours of molasses, roasted pecans and dark chocolate. There are two main types of Malvasia grown; Malvasia Cândida and Malvasia de São with the latter being the most planted as it is easier to grow. 

The Styles

The wines can either be categorized due to their sweetness level (common with Tinta Negra) from Extra Seco (dry) to Dôce (very sweet/rich). If the grape variety is named (Serical, Verdelho, Boal, Malvasia or Terrantez) then it will be produced at a certain sweetness level as mentioned above. 

Age is typically more important when it comes to styles as this determines the quality. 

From lowest to highest:

Corrent or 3 years old- This is bulk wine often destined for cooking and always produced using the estufagem method mainly with Tinta Negra

Rainwater- Popular in America this is also a young wine with a minimum of 3 years ageing. The name is meant to indicate a paler coloured wine which historically was thought to indicate wines that had been left outside whilst waiting to board the ships and became diluted with rainwater! Now is it used to indicate a generic pale wine style. 

Named age wines, this ranges from 5 years to 50 years old with increasing age indicating better quality. These are non-vintage wines meaning the wines are blended from many years. The year is an indication of the style and each wine is tasted by an expert panel before it can be labelled as that category. 

Colheita which means harvest and indicates a vintage wine. The wines must be aged for over 5 years in barrel and come from one single year. 

Frasqueira has the same rules as Colheita but the wines must be aged in barrel for a minimum of 20 years. These are wines with exceptional quality and a price point to match. 

The Shippers. 

The shippers are historically very important to the distribution of Madeira, however, now they all make their own wine as well. The largest is Justino’s followed by the Madeira Wine Company which has many smaller brands under its umbrella including the famous Blandy's. Henriques & Henriques is a very high-quality producer with the largest vineyard holdings on the island.