Madeira (Wine and Cake)

Henriques and Henriques Full Rich Madeira, Peckhams £9.99

Madeira is from the Portuguese island of the same name.  As with Port, Madeira started its life as an unfortified wine.  Funchal, the island’s capital, was a major port for ships en route to Africa, Asia and South America. It is thought that Madeira started exporting wine as early as the 16th century.  However, shippers  found that much of the wine detiorated before it reached its final destination, so fortification was the only solution.  They also found that the wine tasted better after these long, tropical sea journeys, which led to the popularity in Portugal of vinho da roda (wines that had been on a round trip).  Nowadays, the wine is gradually heated in estufas (hot houses) and then allowed to cool down, in order to simulate such voyages. 

 

Henriques & Henriques is the largest independent producer and shipper of Madeira wines and the only house that own vineyards on the island.  To try loads of Madeira (you’ll be sick) you have to got to the island, as only 6 companies are licensed to export. This one has lovely aromas of caramel, chocolate, prunes and a yeasty tang.  Quite full bodied and luscious, given that it is only 3 years old.  Wonderful stuff, and it went down a treat with my Madeira cake, which interestingly,  is called Bolo Inglês (English cake) in Portugal.