Madeira wine, produced on the Portuguese island of Madeira, is an enhanced wine with an alcohol content of around 19% vol. It has a variety of sweetness types from dry to sweet and has a unique oxidation flavor. It is very shelf-resistant and has one of the longest-growing wines in the world, known as the "Wine of the Immortal".
What is Fortified Wine?
During or after grape fermentation, a highly viny spirit (brandy) is added to result in a wine with an alcohol content of 15%-22% vol.
"Madeira wine" is the name of the legal appellation
Madeira wine is protected by DO law and can only be produced in Madeira (and the adjacent island of Porto Santo) and has a winemaking tradition of more than five hundred years. As a geographical protection identifier, this means that no other liquor can use the same name.
Madeira appellation
Madeira is a very small and mountainous island in the Atlantic Ocean, famous for its rich tourism resources and footballer C Ronaldo.
Wines produced here have already made their mark during the Age of Discovery, when Madeira was a well-known transit port in Europe and a must-see for the Americas. Madeira was very popular in colonial America and was once a toast to the Declaration of Independence.
Surprisingly, the method of brewing Madeira has hardly changed over the past three hundred years. Therefore, we can say that the process of tasting Madeira wine is also reminiscing about history. Today, modern technology has once again improved the quality of Madeira wines.
Madeira has a bright gold/amber appearance, with a balanced, full-bodied, rounded mouthpiece, full of hazelnut, coffee, preserved fruit and caramel flavours with a long and layered finish.
It's definitely a whole new experience for those who usually drink dry red; at the same time, for those who are used to drinking whiskey-concocted cocktails, or heavy-tasting drinks, the flavor of Madeira is definitely their favorite type.
What kind of brewing process does it go through?
The biggest difference between Madeira and other wines in the world is its aging process, and its unique oxidation flavor is the product of its brewing process. This centuries-old craft is inspired by the "round-trip sake" of the Age of Discovery.
Under the "devastation" of high temperatures and oxidation
The result is a perfect wine full of "flaws"
As we all know, high temperature and oxidation are fatal taboos for wine. In other wine regions, the minefield that winemakers can't avoid is the cruel "hotbed" that Madeira winemakers are diligently seeking.
It is typically implemented in the following two ways:
Greenhouse method (artificial heating method) EstufagemMethod
After adding grape brandy, madeira is placed in a stainless steel container called "Estufa" and heated continuously for at least 90 days and then left to stand for at least 90 days to quickly obtain a relative fusion caramel flavor. The maximum temperature for heating usually does not exceed 50 ° C.
The warm frame method (natural heating method) CanteiroMethod
The method takes its name from the canteiro that supports the barrels, which are placed on wooden shelves and placed for a long time in a hot position in the winery (natural ambient temperature effect) to obtain the effects of temperature and oxygen.
The oxidation and caramelization process produced by this method is very slow, and it takes a long time to accumulate flavor, but the obtained flavor is more integrated.
Can I save Madeira to my lists?
Madeira wines generally have a long life cycle and storage life, so you don't have to worry about its aging potential. But measured in terms of value, we can pick some more suitable kinds for collection.
Recommended Favorites:
• Vintage wine, look at the vintage numbers, the older the vintage, the more worth collecting.
• Frasqueira/Garrafeira grade madeira.
• Madeira wine in bottles sealed with cork stoppers.
• When storing, please keep it upright to avoid premature spoilage of the cork.
Recommended ready-to-drink:
• Entry-level Madeira wine.
• 5 years, 10 years and other mixed Madeira wines.
• Madeira wine in a T-stopper-sealed bottle.
• Continue to drink after opening the bottle for at least 6 months without spoiling.
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The above article is derived from Madeira wine, author Madeira wine
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