Madeira Wine Styles, Aging Classification, and Its History
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Into Wine Madeira Wine Styles, aging classification, and its history. Writer Rod Phillips of ships—where temperatures were often but returned to Madeira, that the trans- well above 40°C—and much of it reached formation was discovered. Madeira, the fortified wine from the its destination in poor shape. The Madeira in that shipment defined the Atlantic island of the same name, is far less Like port and sherry producers, Madeira’s style that Madeira would take to the present popular than it was a couple hundred years wine exporters began to add distilled alcohol day. At first, producers began to send bar- ago, but in the last two or three decades to their product to preserve it—the island rels of the wine on round-trip voyages, with it’s undergone a renaissance. Whether it’s had large sugar plantations, so the alco- the ships acting as floating ovens, so as to the dry styles drunk as an aperitif or the hol was essentially rum—and the fortified reproduce the style that was evidently popu- sweeter sorts consumed with or after des- wine that became known as Madeira quickly lar among Europeans in the American and sert, demand is robust. It’s no longer the developed into a very successful export. Asian colonies. Now Madeira’s producers daily tipple of gentlemen in the American wanted to sell to consumers in Europe itself, colonies—George Washington was a huge but the trip from Madeira to Europe was fan of Madeira and American independence For many wine lovers, cooler and shorter, and did not have the was toasted with it—but the future looks same effect as voyages across the Atlantic bright for this unique wine. Madeira is a wine yet and Indian oceans. What we know today as Madeira wine Madeira wines made in this way were began life as an accidental tourist, it could to be discovered in its called vinho da roda (“wine that had made the be argued. Starting in the late 1500s, round trip”). But because the process was Madeira—a small, rugged island 700 kilo- full range of styles. expensive, producers looked for an alterna- metres off the North African coast—was a tive method that would achieve the same regular stopover for ships leaving Europe on What Madeira producers didn’t realize result. They began to store barrels of wine long distance voyages. They would load up at first was that conditions in the ships’ in the hot attics of wine cellars on Madeira, on wine, both for crews to consume (water holds changed the wine dramatically— sometimes using wood-fired stoves to boost in barrels fouled quickly) and to deliver to the wine reaching far-off consumers was the heat. Some tried to replicate the motion grapes used for Madeira originate from both pungent, layered flavours, a touch of viscosity, acidity, make it very stable. It’s not uncom- European settlers in North America and not the same wine that had left Madeira. of the waves—at first by having workers rock Madeira and Porto Santo Island which is just and good acid bite. mon to find bottles for sale that go back a the spice colonies of Asia’s East Indies. But Weeks spent in barrels in the hot holds the barrels back and forth manually, later over 40 kilometres away.) Madeiras in the “second quality” tier are hundred years or more, and bottles from the the Atlantic crossing and the longer voyage prematurely aged and oxidized the using steam engines. Vintage-dated Madeiras, which make up also vintage dated, but are labelled with the 1700s have found their way to auctions. Not around the southern tip of Africa and across wine and gave it added pungency. It Over time, other means of heating Madeira less than half of one per cent of Madeira word colheita (meaning harvest), and they only that, an opened bottle of Madeira has the Indian Ocean were rough on wine. The was only in the 1700s, when one ship- have been used, and now most Madeira is sales, are labelled by the grape variety used, account for almost one per cent of sales. The impressive staying power. barrels were tossed around in the holds ment wasn’t off-loaded at its destination heated in stainless steel tanks, where it must which can be a guide to the sweetness level. difference is thatcolheita Madeiras are aged a Madeira hit its peak popularity in the 17th remain at least 90 days at a maximum temper- For vintage Madeira, the most common var- minimum of five years in-cask, rather than the and 18th centuries, and went into decline in ature of 50°C. (The average is a little lower ieties (from driest to sweetest) are sercial, ver- 20 of vintage-dated Madeiras. Even so, they the 19th. For many years, hybrid grape var- than that.) A smaller volume of fine, high- delho, boal, and malvasia. Barbeito Sercial 1992 shouldn’t be overlooked. Blandy’s Colheita ieties were widely used, quality fell off, and quality Madeira is heated on the top floors of Frasqueira, for example, delivers rich, deep 2002 Bual should taste sweet, given its residual demand followed suit. But in the late 1980s, wine cellars, the original on-island method. flavours and has a lovely acid bite that bal- sugar, but it comes across as quite dry because only 30 years ago, the Symington family, Most producers simply use the heat generated ances the richness beautifully. The Madeira of its acidity. Barbeito Single Cask Malvasia which is prominent in port production, began by the sun as it beats down on the roof. Malvasia 1964 from Justino’s, Madeira’s Colheita 2001, in contrast, is sweet and full to invest in Madeira. They replanted with After the heating process is complete, largest producer, was bottled only in 2013, of dried-fruit flavours, but the sweetness is quality grape varieties and gave Madeira a Madeira for the mass market can be bottled; after nearly 50 years’ barrel aging. It shows mitigated, not neutralized, by the acidity. new lease on life. finer Madeiras are aged in barrels in cooler remarkable freshness, with pronounced nut- Other good quality Madeiras are blends of Yet despite the fact that the fortunes of conditions for years, sometimes decades. tiness in its rich and complex flavours, clean vintages labelled by age: 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, Madeira wine are on an upswing, it’s still a The resulting wines come in many differ- acidity, and a refreshing finish. Even older, 50, or more than 50 years old. To qualify, they rarity on tables in most of the world. About ent styles and quality categories, a system Justino’s Verdelho 1934 is elegant and deli- must be found to show the style and quality an eighth of the production is consumed on complex enough that it probably deters cious. It is dark amber from its long aging and associated with Madeiras that age. Barbeito Madeira itself, thanks largely to tourists, and many consumers from buying the wine. But delivers layered flavours, a silky texture, and Verdelho Old Reserve 10 Year Old, a blend most of the rest is drunk in Europe. For many Madeira is so delicious that it’s worthwhile well-balanced acidity. of Madeiras between 10 and 12 years old, is wine lovers, it’s a wine yet to be discovered knowing how to recognize the best. A few producers use terrantez, a variety once medium-dry with light sweetness in the fruit, in its full range of styles. Like sherry, it has Top quality Madeiras are vintage-dated widely used for Madeira, but now rare and a little creaminess in the texture, and a line of a reputation as an old man’s drink, but it and are often labelled frasqueira or garrafeira. reserved for vintage wines. A 1976 vintage ter- clean acidity. The same producer’s Boal Old deserves wider recognition for its uniqueness, They cannot be sold until at least 20 years rantez from Blandy’s, the oldest family-owned Reserve 10 Year Old is medium-sweet with versatility, and sheer drinkability. after their harvest, and they must spend a and one of the leading producers on the island, flavours of dried apricots and other fruits, minimum of 20 years in barrel before being is a delicious straw-coloured Madeira with backed by refreshing acidity. Photos: Madeira is a fortified Portuguese wine bottled. These Madeiras typically show flavours of dried fruit, nuts, and orange, and One notable characteristic of Madeira is made in the Madeira Islands, an archipelago immense complexity and terrific balance a refreshing level of acidity. Henriques & that it lasts and lasts because the heating and situated northwest of Africa. The oldest family- that’s marked by quite high acidity. (The Henriques Terrantez 1954, meanwhile, shows oxidization processes, along with the wine’s owned producers of Madeira is Blandy’s. THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE WINTER 2016 ISSUE OF NUVO ©2016 NUVO Magazine Ltd. www.nuvomagazine.com.