2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Madeira is a liqueur wine made on the Portuguese island of the same name, located in the Atlantic Ocean, opposite the northwestern borders of Africa.
The strong sun and the geographical location are a great prerequisite for the growth of healthy vines, giving unique grape elixirs. The varieties that are used in the production of Madeira, are serial, verdello, malvasia and boal. The wines produced on the island are golden in color. They can be both dry and dessert.
History of Madeira wine
Madeira is a wine about which a number of legends are told. One of them states that a long time ago a local merchant wanted to distribute his wine in India. So he filled a ship with barrels and the vessel sailed for India. However, the journey was long and the ship sailed for months as it circled Africa. When the ship finally reached India, it turned out that the man who was to receive the wine was no longer alive.
The ship then returned the shipment to the merchant, but he was unable to pay for the service. On top of that, the man was more than convinced that the wine was already spoiled. And so the ruined man came to the conclusion that he had nothing more to live for and it was best to end his life.
Shortly before doing so, however, something prompted him to try the wine that had been traveling for so long. Then, to his surprise, he discovered that the drink was not only not spoiled, but even acquired unique qualities.
The merchant rejoiced and told all his acquaintances about what had happened. The news of the unusual wine spread quickly. Local winemakers decided to produce the same grape elixir at all costs. They attributed the impressive qualities of the wine mostly to the long journey and the shaking of the ship. That is why special racks were created to move the wine. However, this did not help much and the drink was not like the one returned from the long trip.
It then occurred to the winemakers that perhaps the specific characteristics of the wine were largely due to the hot climatic conditions the vessel went through until it reached India. They decided that the wine barrels should be left in the sun.
But because the weather on the island was not the same all year round, it was sometimes necessary to subject the alcohol to heat treatment. And so furnaces appeared, with the help of which to heat the wine. However, to date, the highest quality wines produced on the island are left to mature in the sun.
Madeira wine production
As it turned out, the wines from the island Madeira are produced by special technology. It is required to heat the drink to a temperature of 60-80 degrees. As the heat treatment itself lasts a long time. It is thanks to the heating that significant processes take place in the drink. They themselves are a prerequisite for the color of the wine and its aroma.
The process of heating wine is known as estufagen. Its name is related to the Portuguese word for oven-estufa. Like port wine, Madeira is also made after adding alcohol during fermentation. The wine is left to mature in special wooden containers. The interesting thing about them is that they are closed with banana leaves and cork. The blending of the wines takes place shortly before the drink is bottled.
Characteristics of Madeira wine
Madeira is among the liqueur wines that have unforgettable qualities. What will first impress you about the wine is its color. In general, it is golden and saturated.
However, the nuances of individual wines can vary. The drink is classified as a highly oxidized wine. The rich aroma of the wine captivates mostly with resinous notes. Some wines are pleasantly smoky. The taste of the drink is no less intoxicating. It will create in you a feeling of herbs, almonds, rum and cognac at the same time. You will also notice shades of nuts, peanuts and hazelnuts.
Serving Madeira wine
Madeira it is usually served in its pure form, but there are practices to use in punches and cocktails. It is good to cool the wine before serving. However, the temperature depends on the age of the drink and the varieties that are part of it. Generally speaking, the temperature should be around 15-16 degrees if the wine is older and 13-14 degrees if the drink is young.
In any case, you must check the information provided by the manufacturer on the label. There is another peculiarity in more mature wines. It is believed that they should be opened a few hours before serving to remove a specific odor, which is possible to be present in them.
As regards the combination of wine with food, Madeira is among the drinks that can be combined with a variety of delicacies. It turns out that in some places the wine is combined with both fresh and dried fruits, as well as jams and compotes. You can choose not only citrus fruits, but also fruits known in our latitudes.
The taste of the wine is harmonized in combination with all kinds of desserts, especially those in which chocolate is present. By focusing on different cakes, cakes or puddings, you will get a winning combination. Some gourmets prefer to combine Madeira with goose liver or with cheeses such as Roquefort or Camembert. In general, Madeira gives us complete freedom to be guided by our imagination and our own preferences.
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