Madeira dop
Madeira island + Porto Santo (neighbouring island)
Poios (Madeira)
Terraces on nearly vertical mountside on Madeira island
Mechanisation impossible
Soils of Madeira
Volcanic
Climate of Madeira
Sun tropical / damp / high rainfall and humidity = fungal diseases
Latadas (Madeira)
Low trellis system / pergola system
Levadas (Madeira)
Canal system to handle high volume of rainfall
Grape varieties in Madeira
TINTA NEGRA (85% of production)
Esgana Cao (Sercial)
Verdelho
Boal ( Bual, Malvasia Fina)
Malmsey
If grape verity is stated on the label (Madeira)
Min 85% if multivintage
100% if vintage is indicated
Fortification (Madeira)
Addition of 96% abv grape spirit from France
3 methods of warming up of the wines after fortification prior maturation (Madeira)
Estufagem method (Madeira)
Wine is transferred into ESTUFA (stainless steel vats) with serpentine coil that circulate hot water inside
45-50C / at least 3 months = sugars slowly caramelise
Armazens de calor method (Madeira)
Rooms warmed up by pipes or tanks / warming up over a longer period of time than Estufagem method
Canteiro method (Madeira)
Cask-aged for at least 2 years in lodge-attics = gentler natural warmth of the sun
Best wines remains in casks for +20 years = FRASQUEIRAS
Sercial style (Madeira)
Driest Madeira / high acidity / almond bouquet with age
18-65g/L residual sugar
Verdelho style (Madeira)
Medium dry / high acidity / smoky , honeyed character / slightly fuller body then Sercial
Boal style (Madeira)
Medium-sweet / rich style / highly aromatic / chocolate , roasted nut , coffee notes / darkest colour with age
78-96g/L
Malmsey style (Madeira)
Sweetest softest style : toffee, vanilla , marmalade aromas
96-135g/L
Rainwater (Madeira)
Multi vintage
100% tinta negra
Medium dry / light style
Seleccionado (Madeira)
Multi vintage
Include a blended wine that is beteeen 3 to 5 years old
Tinta negra dominant / Estufagem method
Reserve (Madeira)
Multi vintage
5-10 years aging
Special reserve (Madeira)
Multi vintage
10-15 years aging
Single noble grape variety
Canteiro process
Extra reserve (Madeira)
15-20 years aging
Solera (Madeira)
Fractional blending + canteiro
Max 10% drawn off every year
Max 10 additions (with older rather than younger wine like in sherry production)
Dated front the he start of the solera system
Colheita (Madeira)
Min 85% grapes from a single vintage / min 5 years aging prior bottling
May be blend or varietal
Like a vintage Madeira, without extended cask aging, complexity and cost of a true vintage Madeira