A centuries-old history
To overcome the dense vegetation covering Madeira Island, the Portuguese settlers set fire to the forest. Wheat, sugarcane and vines were then planted on this fertilized land. Vines were grown on terraces(poios), on the sometimes vertiginous volcanic slopes, well sheltered from the wind and generously exposed to the sun, to adapt to the region's steep terrain. Well-ripened bunches of grapes were transported on men's backs in grape baskets to the presses, where they were crushed barefoot and backwards! The precious nectar was then left to ferment in barrels before being tasted. After the decline of sugar cane, vineyards gradually became the island's leading production (in 1646, over 12,000 barrels were exported, rising to almost 20,000 by the 18th century).
An incomparable style
But the particularity of Madeira is more an accidental discovery than a trade secret. In the 17th century, the Portuguese caravels were already exporting Madeira wine as far as India or the Americas. To withstand the journey, the wine was fortified with brandy, before being rolled and stirred for weeks on end in overheated holds in the tropics... and becoming the heady elixir, cooked and matured, that we enjoy today. Surprised by the quality of the wine, improved by the sailing conditions, the winemakers tried to reproduce in Funchal those particular circumstances that leave Madeira with an exceptional body and aroma. They set up an 'estufagem' system to heat the wine. Curiously, while the pitching of the boats fortifies the wine in the barrel, it is less accommodating to any movement once bottled. Indeed, it is better to keep it upright than to lay it down in a cellar... And it is served in a crystal glass to preserve the colour of its robe!
Madeira Wine Company
Even today, Madeira is still brewed and heated to nearly 50°C in huge vats at large merchants with typically English names. The best known brands are Blandy's (founded in 1811, the family still resides in Madeira), Cossart Gordon (established in 1745 by two Scots who fled their country after the failure of the Stuart epic, it is the oldest wine merchant in Madeira, which bears his definitive name since 1808 and the accession of an Irishman to the case), Leacock's (founded in 1760, Thomas Slapp Leacock made a major contribution to the treatment of phylloxera to safeguard the island's traditional varieties) and Miles (founded in 1814). They are grouped together in an association: the Madeira Wine Company (www.madeirawinecompany.com).
From field to table
It is usually during the second half of August that the harvest begins. The verdelho and the sercial, grown at high altitude and therefore ripe a little later, are however picked between mid-September and mid-October. As in the past, some Maderians living in the countryside maintain a small acre of vines. And since every farmer is also a winemaker, he will be proud to let you taste his production by watching your judgement closely from the corner of your eye. Don't disappoint him, even if you are a little surprised, and accept the second glass generously offered, as it is often best enjoyed after the second swig. Some people mistakenly think that Madeira can be eaten for dessert (or in a sauce!), but there are several varieties that are suitable as a starter: dry Madeira goes well with walnuts, olives, or other appetizers: it's very thirst-quenching in summer! A half-dry glass will do the trick for a soup or consommé. Madeira, on the other hand, is not served with a main course, so you have to wait until dessert to taste a semi-sweet malmsey. You can also drink a few glasses after the champagne, because, after all, it is a white wine..
The older the better!
To decipher labels, it's best to familiarize yourself with a few key concepts: finest (or at least 3 years old), most often made from tinta negra mole (a rather sweet black grape), bears the Madeira name, as well as that of its brand; it can be dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet or sweet. Wines aged 5, 10 or 15 years must contain at least 85% of the grape variety whose name they bear, i.e. sercial, verdelho, bual or malmsey. Otherwise, they are called Reserve (minimum 5 years of age), Special Reserve (minimum 10 years of age), Extra Reserve (minimum 15 years of age); they can be fruity, spicy... Vintages or millésimés, on the other hand, are produced after a relentless selection of the best vintages, and contain just one variety of grape. They must mature in oak barrels or vats for at least twenty years. And beware, the Madeira Wine Institute is on the lookout! In a bumper harvest year, small quantities of wine are also produced and aged in casks for up to twenty years: these are called frasqueira. They can last up to 150 years! During the ageing period, of course, they are duly inspected at regular intervals.
The grape varieties of Madeira
No less than 30 different grape varieties are grown in Madeira. The noblest are malmsey, bual, verdelho, sercial, but the most widespread variety (80 to 85% of production!) is tinta negra. A cross between pinot noir and grenache, this very productive vine, particularly adapted to the difficult conditions of the archipelago, is said to have been introduced on the island during the 18th century. It was the Jesuits, on the other hand, who imported the boal from Burgundy in the 17th century. Considered to be the best grape variety for white port, it is used in the composition of certain Madeira wines, giving a semi-sweet, balanced, fine nectar with a beautiful vermilion colour. It is served with certain cheeses or desserts. A perfect balance between acidity and sweetness! The malmsey (or malvoisie) comes from Crete. It was introduced on the island by the first settlers, offering the taste buds a rich, sweet and tasty wine, digestive par excellence or very good as an accompaniment (desserts or coffee). Then the verdelho comes to us from Italy. This white grape variety gave its name to one of the four main types of Madeira wine. Semi-dry, fresh and fruity, it is well suited as an aperitif or to accompany soups. Sercial is one of the most rarely used varieties of white wine. It gives a dry and light wine that goes very well with aperitifs.
