Madeira Flashcards
15yo Madeira
‘Extra Reserve’ / ‘Reserve Extra’
Average age of 15yrs
‘Noble’ grapes, Calor de Amazen or Canteiro aged
Some ‘Entry’ Madeira’s, matured in Estufa, aren’t fortified when you would expect.
When are they fortified and why?
The cheapest wines warmed in Estufas are fortified after the process is finished to prevent unnecessary evaporation of alcohol during the heating process
How is Tinta Negra usually Vinified
Some colour is briefly extracted from skin
Sweeter styles more skin contact
Ferment interrupted by fortification at a time to meet sweetness reqs
Fortified with 96% neutral grape spirit, after fortification 17~18%, rises to 20% thru maturation (evaporation). Sometimes fortified further before bottling
What is Abofado?
Dryer than Surdo, fermented a little longer, fortified to 20%
Used to sweeten some wines such as Sercial / Verdelho as they have been fermented to almost total dryness
IVBAM
The Wine, Embroidery and Handicraft Institute of Madeira
Formed 2006 from Madeira Wine Institute (1979)
Manages all Madeira PDO wine matters; Grape classification, Viticulture, Vinification, Standards and Testing
H. M. Borges
Madeira Family owned 1877
2017 sales of Madeira Qty € Trend Who buys it
3.2 million litres
€19 million
Trend Volume slight down
Value slight up, more focus varietals and aged
BUT 3yr old still accounts 85% of sales qty
Biggest markets, France 30%, Madeira 16%, Germany 10%, UK 6%
Madeira accounts biggest Value share 20%
Also big Japan and USA
What are possible age designations for Madeira?
3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 years old
50yo added in 2015
When were Estufas first constructed on Madeira?
18th Century
Boal / Bual
White V. Vinifera 2% of prodn Med Sweet 40~60g/l Grown warmer South Similar must weight Verdelho - retains acidity Ripe and full, aromas of raisins
Almost all grapes on Madeira come from small growers but two companies own their own vineyards
Who are they and how much land do they manage?
Henriques and Henriques own 10ha planted to Verdelho in 1995.
The first vineyard to be mechanised
Blandy’s - 8ha over 3 vineyards
Amazens de Calor
Define and describe what it is and what the process is
What wine is it best suited to?
Process exclusive to The Madeira Wine Company
Wine placed in 600l barrels (usually American Oak but can be Tropical wood).
Wine heated indirectly in steam filled rooms (much like a sauna) by hot water pipes for min 3mo but usually 6mo ~ 1yr
Used to make Tinta Negra 5yo Reserve and Varietal 10yo Special Reserve
Sercial
White V. Vinifera 1.5% of prodn
‘Dogstrangler’ due to high acidity
Mostly grown North @ highest altitude 800m - cooler
Hi acid despite last grape to be picked
Lo must weights, made in dryest style <25g/L residual sugar
Citrus peel, Almonds, Spices
What is the biggest Viticultural threat to the grapes on Madeira
Rot; Powdery and Downy Mildew and Botrytis
Where do The Madeira Wine Company get their grapes from?
Where are they Vinified and Matured?
8ha owned by Blandy’s but most grapes come from 500 growers
Wine made at MWC winery at Mercês.
Matured at Mercês or in Blandy’s wine Lodge
The Madeira Wine Company (top line)
Originally The Madeira Wine Association (1913)
Renamed The Madeira Wine Company 1981
Developed the Amazen de Calor Estufa system
All British Madeira Cos
Blandy’s (1811), Leacock (1741) joined 1925
Cossart Gordon (1745), (Rutherford and) Miles (1814) joined 1953.
Symington Family Estates bought controlling interest 1988 and invested significantly to improve winemaking and Marketing.
2011 (Blandy’s Bicentennial) Symington F E sold controlling interest to Blandy’s.
Symington F E retain a minority share but distribute MWC wines through their extensive World Wide distribution network
Canteiro
Define and describe what it is and what the process is
What wine is it best suited to?
The traditional maderisation of Madeira wines.
The wine is matured in barrels in lodges which have South facing glass windows and tin roofs to maximise heat.
The temperature can reach 43c. In the top of the lodge and 19c at floor level.
Young wines will start at the top (hottest) of the Lodge and, over a period of years, descends to cooler (lower) levels.
The minimum ageing for Canteiro wines is 3 yrs but can be aged for 20yrs or more in Oak vessels ranging from Oak casks to 30k litre vats
3yo Madeira
‘Finest’ / ‘Corrente’ / ‘Seleccionado’
Estufa wines, most Tinta Negra / Complexa blends
The most sold style, generally for cooking
How are Sercial and Verdelho usually Vinified?
Little / no skin contact
Fermented to dry, 1~2% Baumé
Possibly sweetened with:
Surdo = Sweet Mistella: Grape Must or Must stopped very early in ferment then fortified to 20% abv
Abofada = Dryer than Surdo, fermented a little longer, fortified to 20%
Fortified with 96% neutral grape spirit, after fortification 17~18%, rises to 20% thru maturation (evaporation). Sometimes fortified further before bottling
All Madeiras are tested before being put on the market
Who tests?
What do they test?
Tested by IVBAM for Taste and Chemical composition
Maturation in wood, what type of wood is usually used?
Usually American Oak but sometimes Tropical woods