4.1: Madeira - The Growing Environment and Grape Growing

Question 1

What is the climate?

Answer 1

• warm summers (averages around 20-22°C)
• mild winters (averages around 16-17°C)
• range of microclimates
• majority of rain falls in the autumn and winter

Question 2

What can become a climate problem? Where?

Answer 2

lack of winter dormancy can be a problem in the warmest sites

Question 3

Why is there a range of microclimates?

Answer 3

mountainous island

Question 4

What impact do the mountains have on the climate?

Answer 4

• temperatures cooler with altitude
• mountains cause moist air in the humid winds arriving from the north-west to cool and condense into rainclouds
• north and centre of the island are considerably cooler and wetter than the south

Question 5

Up to how tall are the mountains?

Answer 5

1,800m

Question 6

How much rainfall do they get in the center of the island?

Answer 6

can exceed 3,000 mm per year

Question 7

Approximately how many hectares is Madeira total? How many hectares are planted with vines?

Answer 7

• total: 74,000 ha

- vineyard: 500 ha

Question 8

Where are the vineyards typically found?

Answer 8

• up to altitudes of around 800 m

- tend to be located relatively near the coast with forests covering the mountainous centre of the island

Question 9

Describe the soils.

Answer 9

• volcanic origin

- high in nutrients

Question 10

Describe the vigour of the vines. Why?

Answer 10

• vigorous vines
• soil is high in nutrients
• plentiful rain

Question 11

What dramatically changed the make-up of grape varieties on the island?

Answer 11

powdery mildew and phylloxera that devastated Madeira’s vineyards in the late 19th century

Question 12

What was planted after phylloxera? What did that lead to?

Answer 12

• producers began to plant American and hybrid vines that were more resistant to pests and disease (to produce large, reliable crops)
• these vines could not produce wines of the same quality as vinifera varieties
• with help from EU schemes, a significant proportion of these vineyards has been replanted (still exist but not used for Madeira)

Question 13

Traditionally, how were the grapes permitted for the production of Madeira categorized? Which were in the top category?

Answer 13

• ‘noble’, ‘good’ and ‘authorized’

- noble: Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malvasia

Question 14

Today, how are the grapes permitted for the production of Madeira categorized?

Answer 14

• ‘recommended’ and ‘authorised’

Question 15

What types of varieties might fall under the ‘authorised’ category?

Answer 15

varieties that were introduced after phylloxera but have not shown the same potential for quality as the recommended varieties

Question 16

What are the 6 main grape varieties?

Answer 16

1. Tinta Negra
2. Sercial
3. Verdelho
4. Boal
5. Malvasia
6. Terrantez

Question 17

What is the most planted black grape on the island?

Answer 17

Tinta Negra

Question 18

Describe the growing characteristics of Tinta Negra.

Answer 18

• high yielding

- easy to grow

Question 19

How are Tinta Negra wines typically labelled?

Answer 19

• a level of sweetness rather than a grape variety appears on the label
• since 2015, producers can use grape variety though

Question 20

What sweetness levels is produced with Tinta Negra grapes?

Answer 20

all

Question 21

Describe the characteristics of Sercial.

Answer 21

• high acidity

- used in the driest styles of Madeira

Question 22

Describe the growing characteristics of Sercial.

Answer 22

• late ripening
• especially in cool sites can be the latest variety to be picked
• resistant to powdery mildew
• susceptible to botrytis bunch rot
• can experience poor fruit set
• plantings are small

Question 23

What is the second most planted vinifera variety?

Answer 23

Verdelho

Question 24

Describe the characteristics (including growing characteristics) of Verdelho.

Answer 24

• high acidity (slightly lower than Sercial)

- susceptible to botrytis bunch rot, coulure, and downy and powdery mildews

Question 25

What is Boal?

Answer 25

an umbrella term for a number of grape varieties

Question 26

What Boal variety grows on Madeira? What wines is it typically used for?

Answer 26

• Boal Cachudo (aka Malvasia Fina, as found in White Port)

- semi-sweet wines

Question 27

Where does Boal Cachudo grow best?

Answer 27

warm, low altitude sites in the south of the island

Question 28

Describe the growing characteristics of Boal Cachudo.

Answer 28

• susceptible to drought

- needs adequate irrigation to thrive

Question 29

What is Malvasia?

Answer 29

umbrella term for a number of grape varieties

Question 30

What Malvasia is historically the most important? Why?

Answer 30

• Malvasia Cândida

- still highly prized for its quality

Question 31

Describe the growing characteristics of Malvasia Cândida.

Answer 31

• very susceptible to powdery mildew, can limit yields

- small plantings

Question 32

What Malvasia variety more commonly grows on Madeira?

Answer 32

Malvasia de São Jorge

Question 33

Describe the growing characteristics of Malvasia de São Jorge.

Answer 33

• relatively high yields

- susceptible to botrytis bunch rot

Question 34

Describe the growing characteristics of Terrantez.

Answer 34

• susceptible to powdery mildew + botrytis bunch rot

- very limited plantings

Question 35

When is Terrantez typically picked? Why?

Answer 35

• soon after it reaches 9% abv potential alcohol

- prone to powdery mildew and botrytis bunch rot

Question 36

What is needed in the vineyard to make the mountainous island suitable for grape growing?

Answer 36

many vineyards are terraced to make planting on steep slopes viable

Question 37

What are the 2 ways vines are typically trellised? What is the local name for each method?

Answer 37

• pergola system (here called latadas)

- cordon-trained, VSP-trellised vines (here called espaldeira)

Question 38

What is latadas? Why is it good for Madeira?

Answer 38

• type of trellis allows air circulation above and beneath the vine
• helps reduce incidence of fungal disease in the humid climate
• permits other crops to be grown on the land underneath
• effective use of a small landholding

Question 39

What are the main diseases? Is this a big problem for the island?

Answer 39

yes, disease pressure is high (warm, humid climate)

• downy mildew
• botrytis bunch rot
• Phomopsis

Question 40

What techniques are used to combat diseases?

Answer 40

• canopy management techniques such as shoot positioning and leaf removal may help
• fungicide sprays are usually necessary

Question 41

Is irrigation permitted?

Answer 41

• yes

- widely practised

Question 42

Describe the irrigation system.

Answer 42

rainwater is carried from the centre of the island to vineyard areas by levadas, small irrigation channels

Question 43

What part of the island required more irrigation?

Answer 43

• south of the island

- lower rainfall

Question 44

Who declares the official harvest date?

Answer 44

decided by IVBAM in consultation with producers and growers

Question 45

When is the typically harvest date?

Answer 45

end of August or the start of September

Question 46

How is most harvesting done?

Answer 46

done by hand (topography not suitable for machinery)

Question 47

What must the minimum potential alcohol at harvest be? In general, at what potential alcohol level are grapes harvested?

Answer 47

• min: 9% abv

- in practice: up to 11%

Question 48

What varieties can be sold for higher prices?

Answer 48

• traditional varieties of Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malvasia and Terrantez
• (not Tinta Negra)

Question 49

What is the maximum permitted yield? In practice?

Answer 49

• varies according to the vintage conditions

- high yields of 150 hL/ha are not unusual