Readers ask: What Are Good Madeira Wines?

Is Madeira wine any good?

On the palate, Madeira is vigorous because up to 20% alcohol has been added, but it is less noticeable than in other comparable wines because it offers absolutely extraordinary acidity, which gives it great vivacity. This acidity makes Madeira totally different from any other fine liqueur wine.

What are the different types of Madeira wine?

Different Types of Madeira Wine

• Dry (Seco).
• Medium-Dry (Meio Seco): This flavor is slightly spicy, smoky, and caramel-like.
• Medium-Sweet (Meio Doce): Lightly sweet with flavors of burnt caramel, coffee, cacao, and raisins.
• Sweet (Doce): The sweetest style with rich chocolate notes, the Malvasia fits in this category.

What is the sweetest Madeira wine?

Malmsey (“Malm-see”) is the richest and sweetest style of Madeira. You can pair Malmsey with rich chocolate desserts, ice cream, and cheese, or just sit with a glass by the fireside. Malmsey is dessert in and of itself.

Is Madeira wine expensive?

For all its relative obscurity, Madeira is dominating the list of most expensive wines – mostly because of its incredible ability to age. As we’ve seen from the first few wines on the list, age gets attention, and this wine – the most recent vintage of which is 1846 – has an average price on Wine-Searcher of $5516.

What can be used instead of Madeira wine?

Madeira Substitute Like Madeira, Marsala comes in dry and sweet varieties—but the ones typically used for cooking tend toward dryness. Unless your recipe specifically calls for a sweet Madeira, opt for a dry substitute. Other acceptable alternatives are dark sherry, port, or red vermouth.

What is the alcohol content of Madeira wine?

Because the island was a customary port-of-call on the trade routes between Europe and the New World, this durable wine was very popular in colonial America. Madeira wine is fortified with brandy during fermentation to raise its alcoholic content to 18–20 percent.

Is Madeira wine drinkable?

Buying Madeira, then, has its difficulties, so it’s best to zero in on how you might be drinking the wines, as an apéritif, with certain foods, with cheese or as an after dinner drink like Port or Cognac.

Who makes Madeira wine?

This process is used by many of the top Madiera brands, including Broadbent and Justino’s. Justino’s produces more than 50% of all Madeira. Adding in the other brands owned by Justino’s, such as Henriques&Henriques, the family which owns Justino’s is responsible for producing over 70% of all the Madeira on the island.

What is Madeira famous for?

The region is noted for its Madeira wine, gastronomy, historical and cultural value, flora and fauna, landscapes (laurel forest) that are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and embroidery artisans.

What is Madeira wine used for?

Madeira is a long-lasting fortified wine that is made on a small Portuguese island of the same name. It is often served as an aperitif or dessert wine depending on the level of sweetness and is used in cooking, especially for making sauces. Madeira tends to have a rich flavor with nutty and caramel notes.

What’s the difference between port and Madeira wine?

Specifics vary depending on style etc. But the aging process for Madeira is different than any wine in the world. The high heat it’s exposed to usually gives it a more complex flavor profile than port. The result is almost a smoky, roasted nut flavor.

What do you drink Madeira with?

Most people think of Madeira as an after dinner wine, but its diverse styles and high acidity make it a a great partner with food. The greatest pairing ever is peanut butter cups and a glass of 1912 Verdelho Madeira ($475). Winter and fall soups, such as butternut squash, make an amazing compliment to Bual Madeira.

Is Madeira wine like sherry?

Like its cousin sherry from Spain, it is a fortified wine. Without getting into the details of the production of Madeira, one difference between it and sherry is that Madeira is heated while aging, while sherry is not. As with sherry, there are many different styles to choose from.

How long does Madeira wine keep once opened?

An opened bottle of Madeira will usually maintain best quality for about 3 years, although it will stay safe indefinitely if properly stored; fine Madeira can retain top quality for many years, even after opening.