4.3: Madeira - Styles of Madeira Flashcards
Name the defined labelling conventions for Madeira wines.
- grape variety
- level of sweetness
- length of ageing
- single vintage or multiple vintages
What are the sweetness labelling terms used?
- extra dry
- dry (demonstrate some degree of sweetness)
- medium dry
- medium sweet (or medium rich)
- sweet (or rich)
Are the sweetness labelling terms well defined?
- no
- some overlap between the categories and hence one producer’s ‘dry’ may be another producer’s ‘medium dry’
How are many Madeiras, especially premium priced wines, labelled?
varietally
Describe the style associated with the Sercial variety.
- extra dry or dry
- tend to be the lightest coloured and bodied of the varietal wines
- notes of citrus peel and nuts
Describe the style associated with the Verdelho variety.
- medium dry
- usually has more residual sugar and therefore more body and a rounder texture than Sercial
- slight sweetness on the palate gives impression of sweeter flavours such as candied fruits
- may be slightly darker in colour than Sercial
Describe the style associated with the Boal variety.
- medium sweet
- fuller and sweeter than Verdelho
- darker in colour
- flavours of caramel, chocolate and candied nuts
Describe the style associated with the Malvasia variety.
- sweet
- also called Malmsey
- tends to be full-bodied
- often brown in colour
- the sweetest style
- still balanced by refreshing high acidity
- notes of raisins and caramel
Describe the style associated with the Terrantez variety.
- medium dry or medium sweet.
- relatively high levels of sugar
- always a delicacy to them
- Aromas: citrus peel, caramel and sometimes even floral notes
Describe the style associated with the Tinta Negra variety.
- since 2015, can also be varietally labelled
- can be made at any level of sweetness
For varietal wines, does an indication of style need to appear on the label?
No
What is Madeira with an Indication of Age? What are the requirements?
- non-vintage products
- may be labelled 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 and ‘more than 50’ years old.
- age is an indication of style rather than a minimum or an average
- wine must be verified by IVBAM’s tasting panel, accompanied by an account of all wines used in the final blend
How may Madeira with an Indication of Age be labelled?
according to style and/or grape variety
Describe 5-year-old Madeira.
- made predominantly from Tinta Negra
- most of the wine will have been through the estufagem system
- good to very good in quality
- mid-priced
Describe 10-year-old + Madeira.
- often made with one of the white varieties, but some producers use Tinta Negra
- made from parcels that have all been aged in the canteiro system
- oldest wines tend to be increasingly concentrated and complex and have the highest levels of acidity