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| Madeira Re-discovered |
| By Team vino india |
| The origins of Madeira wine lie on an island in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Portugal. The island is a part of the archipelago that was discovered in 1419 by exploratory missions of Captains João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz on the orders of Prince Henry the Navigator, who colonised this rich territory. Wine terraces and wine making traditions found their way to this territory. The wine took its name from the place of its birth, and the fame of Madeira wine grew through the colonial empires in the 17th and 18th century. |
| Madeira is a wine “born-at-sea” – wine marked for England and the Americas was fortified with brandy so that it stood a chance of reaching its destination. The journey through the tropics heated and cooled the casks, but this sea-ageing improved the flavours. Madeira is “maderised” under the influence of oxygen and warmer temperatures (heat). For any other wine, this has very negative connotations – implies that the wine is surely rotten and ‘undrinkable’ – but for Madeira, this is an integral part of the maturation and appreciably improves the wine. |
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The origins of Madeira wine lie on an island in the Atlantic Ocean |
| Madeira wines express a unique character of balanced acidity, sweetness and ageing. The wines have a special flavour profile that has been identified by the Madeira inter-professional IVBAM. The temperatures in Madeira island are not like those in the sub tropical climes and ripening is a challenge, specially in the higher altitude hills, and result in a high acidity. And this balances the omni-present sweetness in the wine. Ageing is a minimum of three years (which gives the ‘simplest’ classification). About 1000 grape growers toil in hard conditions on the majestic terraced landscapes to allow for the production of approximately 3.3 million litres of fortified wine that is majority covered by the DO Madiera. |
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Perch on a burgundy leather stool |
| As if it is being re-discovered by the British, Madeira has found a place of prominence on wine lists in London. 28°-50° Wine Workshop and Kitchen on Maddox Street in London’s Mayfair is Icelandic Chef Agnar Sverrisson’s stylish offering with a very elaborate and very well priced wine list, specially by the glass, well thought of by Clement Roberts MS. |
| The website asks patrons to “come perch on a burgundy leather stool at the reclaimed timber bar under the hanging pendant lamps”, and we did just that to find my special glass for the evening – a Sercial 1937. |
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| D’ Oliveira Madeira Reserva Sercial 1937 |
| Founded in 1850, D’ Oliveira survived phylloxera. In its cellars dating back to the early 17th century, the wine stock has grown through buyouts or marriage! This bottle is from their unparalleled library of ancient vintages, most of it still in casks. The noble grape Sercial is known for its aggressive acids (in Madeira, they say ‘It bites back’). Deep amber. Caramelisation, vanilla and a very surprising lemony freshness given the age. Big, round, lush. Perfectly balanced sweetness is very pleasant and harmonious. Curried spices and caramel fudge that just didn’t end. |
| Team vino india chanced upon a rare vintage of a relatively unknown wine by-the-glass in London. |
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