The must has moderate sugar levels and a marked acidity. Today is the white variety with the largest area (47 hectares) in Madeira, especially on the north coast, in vineyards located in Ponta Delgada, and São Vicente. Before the arrival of phylloxera in Madeira in 1872, Verdelho represented approximately two-thirds of the vineyards of Madeira. The varietal offers compact and small bunches with a few berries. Verdelho has low yields per hectare and early ripening. This variety requires deep soils with some degree of moisture. Verdelho is widely cultivated in Madeira since the seventeenth century and was probably brought from northern continental Portugal during the early days of settlement on the island. The wines are dry, remarkably fresh and present intense and vibrant aromas. Sercial produces wines that rarely achieve more than 11% alcohol before fortification. The varietal has a late ripening and is resistant to oidium and mildium. The varietal produces big bunches of medium sized, thin skinned berries. This varietal originates from the region of Bucelas, near Lisboa, where it was traditionally grown under the name Esgana Cão (Dog Strangler), having been introduced in Madeira, where it was given the name Sercial. What are the different styles of Madeira Wine? The red Tinta Negra varietal is diverse enough to be able to represent any one of the four styles of Madeira. Madeira wine is typically a mono-varietal wine, with each white varietal representing one of the four styles of Madeira. Fortification of the wine with brandy was introduced in the mid-18th century and today, the process continues with natural grape spirit. Today, this ageing is replicated via the Estufagem and Canteiro methods in the wine lodges on the island. Madeira’s dramatic scenery – Quinta do Furaoįor centuries afterwards, shippers continued to send casks of their wines on long voyages, for no other reason than to develop greater character. Legend has it that on one particular round trip to India, the barrels of wine were returned to the producer on the island who discovered that the wine had improved considerably due to the heating of the wine as the ships crossed the equator. Its origins came about during the era of discoveries in the 15th and 16th centuries when the sailing ships passed by the island to pick up fresh water, supplies and ballast, in the form of wine in barrels. Madeira is a fortified wine produced and bottled the Island of Madeira, in Portugal. But the truth is, I don’t know much about it – so I asked Chris Blandy, who I also met during my trip to explain a little bit more about its history and how we can enjoy it year round. On a recent trip to Madeira (my first in over 15 years), I obviously got to taste a fair bit of Madeira Wine – it would be rude not to.
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