D5: Madeira Flashcards
(36 cards)
Madeira
A Portuguese island in the Atlantic Ocean, 600km from the coast of Marocco. The fortified wine made on the Island is also called Madeira
History of the island Madeira
Discovered in 1419, colonized by Portuguese merchants. Forest wore burnt to provide room for agriculture. Although sugar, wheat and vines are the main crops and exports, the sugar industry declined in the 16th century, and wine became the main export.
Wine export grew further in the 17th and 18th centuries as British merchants arrived in Madeira and sent the wine to their colonies in North America and the West Indies. It was found that long periods of time pitching and rilling in the holds of ships to and from the tropics improved the quality of the wines.
The 19th and 20th centuries where more difficult for the Madeira wine trade. Powdery mildew and the Phylloxera hit the island in the late 19th century, destroying vines and lowering yields. During the 20th century Prohibition in the USA, two worlds wars and the Russian Revolution negatively impacted the wine trades in many of Madeira’s major markets at the time. Towards the end of the century sales became more stable, but consumer tastes had changed and sales were far below their peak in the 18th century
IVM
Instituto do Vinho da Madeira founded in 1979
IVBAM
Instituto do Vinho doBordado e do Artesanato da Madeira was founded in 2006 and is responsible for monitoring Madeira stocks and quality control
Climate in Madeira
In general warm summers, average around 20-22 degrees, and mild winters, average around 16-17 degrees
Lack of winter dormancy can be a problem in the warmest sites
As a mountainous island, there is a range of microclimates, with temperatures becoming cooler with altitude. The mountains, reaching up to 1800m, cause moist air in the humid winds arriving from the north-west to cool and condense into rainclouds, meaning the north and centre of the island are considerably cooler and wetter (rainfall can exceed 3000mm per year in the center) than the south. The majority of the rain falls in the autumn and winter
Vineyard location
Vineyards are located relatively near the cost with forest covering the center of the island. Vineyards can be found up to altitudes of 800m. Madeira has an total area of approx 74.000ha of which around 500ha are planted with vineyards
Soil on Madeira
Soils are of volcanic origin and high in nutrients. Together with plentiful rainfall this provides fertile conditions and therefor vigorous vines
Recommended varieties
Tinta Negra Sercial Verdelho Boal Malvasia Terrantez
Tinta Negra
This black grape is the most planted variety on the island. High yielding and easy to grow. Its only since 2015 that producers hav been able to state the grape variety on the label.
However, much Tinta Negra is use to make wines where a level of sweetness rather than a variety appears on the label. It’s use to make wines at all sweetness levels
Sercial
Known for its high acidity and used in the driest styles of Madeira.
Late ripening and especially in cool sites can be the lates variety to be picked, barely above the min level of potential alcohol
Resistant to powdery mildew but susceptible to botrytis bunch rot and can experience poor fruit set
Plantings are small
Verdelho
Second most planted vinifera variety. Has high acid but slightly lower levels than Sercial
Susceptible to botrytis bunch rot, coulure, and downy and powdery mildews
Boal
Boal is an umbrella term for a number of grape varieties. The variety that grows on Madeira is Boal Cachudo, ands is also named Malvasia Fina (White Port)
Grows best on warm, low altitude sties in the south of the island.
Susceptible to drought and therefor needs adequate irrigation to thrive.
Typically used to produce semi-sweet wines
Malvasia
An umbrella term for a number of grape varieties. Malvasia Candida was historically the most important Malvasia. However it is very susceptible to powdery mildew and therefor there are currently only small plantings
Malvasia de Sao Jorge is the most common grown on Madeira. It can produce relatively high yields but is susceptible to botrytis bunch rot
Terrantez
Plantings are very limited
Susceptible to powdery mildew and botrytis bunch rot and therefor picked soon after it reaches 9% abv potential alcohol
Explain vineyard management on Madeira
Madeira is mountainous and many vineyards are terraced to make planting on steep slopes viable
Vines are generally trained into a pergola system, called latadas. Allowing air circulation above and beneath the vine which helps reduce fungal disease pressure in the humid climate. It also permits other crops to be grown on the land underneath, making effective use of a small landholding
Vineyards are also planted with cordon-trained, VSP trellised vines, called espaldeira
Although canopy management may help, fungicide spray are usually necessary in this humid climate
Explain the use of irrigation on Madeira
Irrigation is widely practised: rainwater is carried from the centre of the island to vineyard areas by levadas, small irritation channels. With lower rainfall, irrigation is more required in the south of the island
Harvest on Madeira
The official date is decided by the IVBAM, in consultation with produces and growers. Usually at the end of August or the start of September
Given Madeira’s topography harping tends to be done by hand. The min potential alcohol at harvest must be 9% abv, and in general grapes are picked with average potential up to 11% abv.
Prices paid for grapes differ based on health and variety although the traditional varieties (Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malvasia and Terrantez) fetch much more than Tinta Negra
On arrival at the winery grapes are checked on weight, health and potential alcohol. Representatives of IVBAM must be present for the arrival of all grapes
Explain winemaking of Madeira
- Grapes are checked upon arrival (IVBAM)
- Grapes are destemmed and crushed, use of skin contact varies according to the producer. Tinta Negra is often fermented on the skins, particularly for medium sweet and sweet styles
- Fermentation usually takes place in stainless steel vessels with ambient yeasts
- Timing of fortification will depend on the style of wine that is produced, with sweeter style fortified earlier in the fermentation to retain more residual sugar. Sweet styles, 2 days, drier styles ferment for around a week
- Fortifying spirit must be 96% abv, and therefor it will be neutral in style. Producers are free to buy the spirit from wherever they choose, but it’s quality must be checked by the IVBAM. After fortification the wine will usually contain 17-18% abv
- Before maturation the wines will be fined (bentonite, gelatine and albumin are commonly used) and filtered to clarify the wine
- The maturation process for modern Madeira replicates the hot, oxidative conditions that the wine was subject to when being shipped in the 17th and play 18th centuries. There are two options; Estufagem and Canteiro
Estufagem
Process that involves the wine being heated in temperature controlled stainless steel vessels called esufas.
Thanks are heated to 45-50 degrees (max of 55 degrees is permitted) using a heating coil of water jacket, and the wine must be remained in the tank for a min of 3 moths
Representatives from the IVBAM seal the vessel at the start of maturation and will break the seal when maturation is compleet.
Although the tanks is sealed, it is usually not filled to the top, allowing some oxidation.
The wine is than allowed to cool, it is filtered and left to rest for 6-12 months. Wines may not be sold until the 31st of October of the second year after harvest
Wines are describe as baked or stewed, however, the process has improved significantly over recent years. But this quick ageing process does nog produce wines with the same level of complexity as the canteiro process. It tends to be used for 3 to 5 year old wines made from Tinta Negra
Canteiro
Longer and more intensive process associated with higher quality wines
Wines are matured in old oak vessels in a warm environment. A loft or warehouse, heated by the sun. Vessels are usually 400-700 L in size, and left with a small headspace of air, to aid oxidative development
Temperatures usually range from 25-40 degrees. It is typically for young wines to be stored in the warmest conditions, before being moved to cooler parts of the warehouse for extended ageing
Humidity is high, but in these warm conditions, evaporation of water still causes the alcohol to rise up to 19-20% abv. This also cause other components in the wine, such as sugar, acidity and aroma compounds to concentrate
Madeira is rarely racked but due to the loss of water, barrels need regular topping up
Wines can not be sold until three years after the 1st of January following harvest, and a representative of IVBAM must seal and unseal the vessels
Explain the effect of Maturation on the style of wine
Oxidation causes the cooler to gradually turn brown and primary aromas to develop into tertiary notes of dried fruit
The warm ageing conditions speed up oxidation and cause caramelization of the sugar in the wine
The final wines have a range of flavours, depending on the site, and and quality including dried fruits such as apricot and raisin, caramel, chocolate and nuts and often a smokey character
Explain the use of blending in Madeira
Most Madeira is a non-vintage product. Therefor blending wines from different vintages and vineyards for consistency of style year on year is standard practice
Blending can also be used to achieve a certain style or complexity. For example wines in the youngest age categories may be matured mainly in stuffs but the blend may include some older canteiro wines to bring a greater complexity of flavours
Adjustments in the wine
Some adjustments can be made if necessary
Caramel is used in a number of the inexpensive and mid-priced wines to add colour. Carbon fining can be used to strip colour
RCGM: Rectified Concentrated Grape Must can be added to increase sweetness if needed or blending with some drie wine to decrease sweetness
Explain bottle labelling
Made in variety of sweetness levels, and can hence be labelled extra dry, dry, medium dry, medium sweet (medium rich), and sweet (or rich)
It must be noted that even wines labelled dry demonstrate some degree of sweetness
There is also some overlap between categories, one producers dry may be another producers medium dry
Many Madeiras, especially premium priced wines, are varietally labelled
As of 2015 all Madeira must be labelled with a botteling date
