Madeira and the 4th of July

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No wine has a closer association with the Fourth of July, and early American history, than Madeira. The Founding Fathers toasted the signing of the Declaration of Independence with it; Francis Scott Key sipped it as he composed the Star-Spangled Banner, and George Washington, who had a pint with dinner most nights, ordered it by the barrel. Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and John Adams were devout fans. (Speaking of early American history, pictured above is Old Ironsides sailing past the Old North Church in Boston).

Madeira is a fortified wine made on a Portuguese volcanic island located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, about 400 miles from Morocco. Because of the island’s strategic location on trade routes, sailing ships stopping for provisions would store barrels of Madeira in their holds, and that’s where the magic that makes this wine unique began. During long voyages it was exposed to intense heat and a constant rolling motion, resulting in a rich, velvety wine. The most prized Madeiras were those that made the trip to India and back – called vinhos da roda.

  • Madeira’s popularity was helped by the fact that the island’s merchandise was exempt from a ban on importing goods to the colonies not carried on British ships from British ports.
  • By the end of the eighteenth century, nearly a quarter of Madeira production was exported to the United States.

Because of the way that it’s made, Madeira is unique and virtually indestructible. It starts out like any wine, then it’s fortified with brandy. But the key difference is that it’s next exposed to heat (“maderized”) and oxygen, then aged in wood for years. Because of that, a bottle of Madeira is good for many months after its opened.

Quality Madeira comes in four basic styles.  The sweetness level depends on when it’s fortified: adding brandy early results in a sweet wine, while waiting until fermentation is complete results in a dry wine. There are four noble grapes of which quality Madeira is made, and each of these is identified with a specific style of wine:

  • Sercial (dry). This tends to be tangy and have nutty notes. It is a good aperitif, and pairs well with salads and many soups.
  • Verdelho (Medium-dry). This is more balanced and full-bodied, with similar nutty and caramel notes.
  • Bual (Medium rich). This is a sweet, concentrated wine, but it’s hard to find.
  • Malmsey (rich). The richest, sweetest style of Madeira. It has an acid tang and smoky, caramel notes. Malmsey is a corruption of “Malvasia,” the grape from which it’s made.

Quality levels. Let’s cut to the chase: basic Madeira isn’t very good – use it for cooking, if you must. It’s made from inferior grapes, heated quickly in large tanks  (“estufa”), and aged for only a short period. “Rainwater” and “Finest” are some of the labels found on basic Madeira – don’t go there.

  • To get a good quality Madeira, look for something aged at least five years. This is the minimum aging period for wine labeled with one of the four noble grapes discussed above. These typically are blends of multiple vintages – “five years” indicates that the youngest component in the blend was aged at least five years in wood casks. There are also ten- and fifteen-year-old wines, with corresponding increases in quality.
  • If you’re looking for the best of Madeira, get a frasqueira. This is made from a single vintage, rather than a blend, and is heated in casks in a lodge and then aged a minimum of 20 years.

Our wine of the week is Blandy’s Five Year Old Malmsey (about $20 retail). Blandy’s, one of the best producers, was founded in 1811 and is still family owned. This amber-colored wine is made from at least 85 percent Malvasia grapes and aged in American oak using the “canteiro” method (a slower, natural means of heating). It’s a rich dessert wine, with toffee, honey and citrus notes. It has a notable acidity that balances the sweetness nicely, and a pleasant, long finish. This is a very nice alternative for a dessert wine.

  • Serve it at about 60 degrees with a two- or three-ounce pour.
  • It’s dessert by itself, but also pairs nicely with chocolate desserts and ice cream (chocolate chip cookies, anyone?)

Cheers!