Climate of Madeira
- Warm maritime, with high humidity
- Warm summers & mild winters
- Lack of dormancy a problem for warmer sites
Most vineyards in Madeira can be found around _____m altitude.
800m
Soil type of Madeira
Volcanic & high in nutrients
Most planted vinifera variety in Madeira
Tinta Negra
Five traditional Madeira grapes and their other names
- Secial - white - driest
- Verdelho - white - 2nd most acidic
- Boal, aka Malvasia Fina - white
- Malvasia - white
- Terrantez - black
Because of the island’s mountainous landscape, vineyards in Madeira are _____.
Terraced
Harvest date in Madeira
Systematic decided by IVBAM, in consultation with producers and growers
Authorised variety in Madeira
Tinta Negra, also the most planted
Hazards in Madeira
- High humidity and all sorts of fungal issue
- Downy mildew
- Botrytis
- Phomopsis
IVBAM
Instituto do Vinho da Madeira, founded in 1979
Fermentation usually takes in ______ for with _____ yeasts for Madeiras
Stainless steel vessels with ambient yeasts
For sweet styles of Madeiras, fermentation lasts ____ days before fortification.
2 days
For drier styles of Madeiras, fermentation lasts ____ days before fortification.
7 days
Fortifying alcohol for Madeiras must be _____ % abv grape spirit.
96% abv, chosen by IVBAM
After fortification, all Madeiras should be _____ % abv.
17-18% abv, medium alc for fortified wine
Maturation objective for Madeiras
To mimic the conditions in which Madeiras were heated up and mellowed oxidatively over the Transatlantic journey
Two ways of artificially recreating the maderisation process
- Estufagem - using heated stainless steel estufas for 3 months
- Canteiro - using old oak barrels to be heated by the sun
Six key steps to Estufagem
- IVBAM rep seals the tank
- Stainless steel estufas headed to 45-50°C by coil or water jacket
- Filling up for 3mo
- IVBAM rep breaks the seal
- Filtered
- Rest for 6-12mo
Reasons why Estufagem Madeiras are not as complex as Canteiro Madeiras
- Speeding up - 3mo vs 3-5yr
- Using Tinta Negra predominantly
Flavours associated with Estufagem
Jammy, stewed
Six key features of Canteiro
- Oxidative ageing in olad oak vessels of 400-700L over 3-5 years
- Rep from IVBAM seals and break seals at the beginning and the end
- All barrels are stuck up and stored in a sunny loft or warehouse, where temperature can real 25-40°C
- No topping up -> flavours, acidity and alc level accumulates as water evaporate
- Easily 19-20% abv when the seal is broken
- Young wines and old wines get moved around in the loft
Four reasons why Madeira is a NV product
- Small holding growers most -> blending for consistency
- High disease pressure -> blending for insurance
- Blending for style & complexity
- Even blending estufas with canteiro Madeiras!
Age indication for Madeiras means ______ and not ______.
Means the minimum age and not the average age.
Five categories of Madeira
- Madeira with an Indication of Age - min age
- Standard Blends - 2-3yrs after harvest
- Rainwater - name originates from being left in the rain; today just means lighter alc, body and concentration
- Garrafeira - at least 20yo, often flagship of the house
- Colheita - vintage Madeira, in wood for min 5 yrs
