Madeira is a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of Madeira, aged with heat and air on purpose. That gives it flavours of dried fruit, nuts and orange peel, with a sharp acidity that keeps even the sweet ones fresh. Its four noble grapes go from dry to sweet: Sercial, Verdelho, Boal and Malvasia.
Here is the longer version, the way we explain it across the counter in Graça.
What makes Madeira different?
Most wine is kept away from heat and oxygen. Madeira gets both, on purpose. The wine is fortified with grape spirit, then aged warm, and it slowly turns amber.
The story goes that sailors found the wine got better after long crossings through the tropics. Producers later recreated that heat on the island, in warm lofts and heated tanks. That is still how Madeira is made.
The four grapes, from dry to sweet
When a bottle names a grape, at least 85% of the wine comes from it. Each noble grape is traditionally tied to a sweetness level, so the label already tells you a lot.
| Grape | Usual style | What it tastes like | When we drink it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sercial | Dry | Lemon peel, almonds, salty and very fresh | Chilled, as an aperitif |
| Verdelho | Medium dry | Dried apricot, citrus, a smoky edge | Before dinner or with starters |
| Boal (Bual) | Medium sweet | Raisins, toffee, walnut, coffee | With cheese or dessert |
| Malvasia (Malmsey) | Sweet | Fig, dark caramel, orange marmalade | After dinner, with chocolate |
If you think you do not like Madeira, start with the Barbeito 10 Year Old Verdelho Madeira. It sits right between dried fruit and acidity. Then move on to the Barbeito 10 Year Old Boal Madeira, rounder and darker. Curious about the sweet end but not ready for a full bottle? The 10 Year Old Malvasia Madeira tasting tube lets you find out with one glass.
Tinta Negra, the island's workhorse
Tinta Negra is a red grape and by far the most planted on Madeira. It can be made dry, sweet or anything in between, and since 2015 producers may put its name on the label. The Barbeito Dry Madeira and the Barbeito Medium Sweet Madeira are younger, everyday Madeiras, labelled by sweetness. The dry one is what we would open with a bowl of salted almonds.
Rainwater
Rainwater is lighter, paler and medium dry, made to drink young. It was hugely popular in the United States in the 19th century, then faded, and Barbeito helped bring it back in its classic form. The Barbeito Rainwater Reserva Madeira is mostly Tinta Negra with some Verdelho, aged in cask without artificial heat. Serve it cool. It is one of the easiest Madeiras to like.
Reading the label: 5, 10, 15 years, Colheita and Frasqueira
An age on a Madeira label describes a blend of several harvests, approved by the island's official tasting panel (IVBAM) as having the character of that age.
| On the label | What it means |
|---|---|
| Finest or Seleccionado | A young blend, around three years old, fruity and simple |
| 5 Years (Reserva) | More depth, the first nutty notes |
| 10 Years (Reserva Especial or Reserva Velha) | Layered and long. For us, this is where Madeira gets really good |
| 15 Years (Reserva Extra), then 20, 30, 40 and 50 | More concentration, more acidity, a darker colour |
| Colheita | One harvest, at least five years in cask. Harvest year and bottling year are on the label |
| Frasqueira (or Garrafeira) | One exceptional harvest, at least 20 years in cask. Some are many decades old |
Estufagem or canteiro: fast heat or slow heat
Estufagem means heating the wine in stainless steel tanks, usually to around 45 to 50°C, for at least three months. It is the quicker method, used mainly for younger wines based on Tinta Negra.
Canteiro is the slow way. The wine sits for years in oak casks on wooden beams (the canteiros) in warm lodges, sometimes right under the roof. Nothing is heated. The island's climate does the work, and a little of the wine evaporates every year. Frasqueira and most of the finest aged blends are made like this. To us, canteiro wines taste finer and more precise.
Madeira vs Port: what is the difference?
Both are Portuguese fortified wines, and people mix them up all the time. In the glass they are very different.
| Madeira | Port | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Island of Madeira, in the Atlantic | Douro Valley, northern Portugal |
| Ageing | Warm and oxidative, by heat or in warm lofts | In cellars, in bottle (Vintage) or in cask (Tawny) |
| Taste | High acidity, citrus peel, nuts, caramel | Ruby: red fruit. Tawny: nuts and dried fruit, softer acidity |
| Dry styles | Yes, Sercial and Dry Madeira are truly dry | Mostly sweet, White Port can be drier |
| Once opened | Keeps for months | Days for Vintage, a few weeks for Ruby, longer for Tawny |
If you like aged Tawny Port, you will probably like Madeira. The big difference is the acidity, which makes Madeira feel lighter on its feet.
There are fortified wines closer to Lisbon too: Carcavelos from the coast just west of the city, like the Villa Oeiras 7 Year Old Carcavelos, and Moscatel from just south of the river, like the Horácio Simões Moscatel de Setúbal. Both sit with our Portuguese wines.
How long does Madeira keep once opened?
Months. Madeira has already been through heat and oxygen, so opening the bottle changes very little. Keep it upright, cork in, away from heat and light. Unopened, a good Madeira can last for decades.
Serve dry and medium dry styles lightly chilled, sweet ones at cool cellar temperature. Use a white wine glass rather than a tiny sherry glass. You will smell a lot more.
What to eat with Madeira
| Style | Try it with |
|---|---|
| Sercial or Dry | Salted almonds, olives, cured ham, clear soups, raw fish |
| Verdelho or Rainwater | Mushroom dishes, pâté, creamy soups, hot buttered toast |
| Boal | Aged hard cheese such as an old São Jorge from the Azores, nut tarts, crème brûlée |
| Malvasia | Dark chocolate, dried figs, coffee desserts, blue cheese |
Hot buttered toast with Verdelho sounds odd. Try it once. For the cheese side, see our Portuguese cheeses.
Taste it in Lisbon
You can taste and buy Madeira at POP, Rua da Senhora do Monte 38C, in Graça. We are open Sunday to Wednesday from 14:00 to 21:00 and Thursday to Saturday from 14:00 to 22:00. Ask us at the bar which bottles are open, and ask to taste before you buy. The Miradouro da Senhora do Monte is 30 metres from the door, so it is easy to make an afternoon of it. For a group, a guided tasting or a private event, get in touch.
Questions we get asked
What are the main types of Madeira wine?
Four classic types follow the noble grapes: Sercial (dry), Verdelho (medium dry), Boal (medium sweet) and Malvasia or Malmsey (sweet). Beyond those, there are Tinta Negra blends, Rainwater, aged blends and single harvest Colheita and Frasqueira.
What is the difference between Madeira and Port?
Port comes from the Douro Valley and is mostly sweet and fruity. Madeira comes from the island, is aged warm with air, has much higher acidity, comes in truly dry styles and keeps for months once opened.
How long does an opened bottle of Madeira last?
Months. It is already oxidised and heated during ageing, so it barely changes. Keep it upright, closed, away from heat and light.
Is Madeira wine sweet?
Not always. Sercial and Dry Madeira are dry, Verdelho and Rainwater are medium dry, Boal is medium sweet and Malvasia is sweet.
What does Frasqueira mean on a Madeira label?
Frasqueira (or Garrafeira) is a single harvest Madeira of exceptional quality, aged at least 20 years in cask. The label shows the harvest year and the bottling year.