Madeira
Madeira
Madeira (pronunciation: /məˈdɪərə/ mə-DEER-ə or /məˈdɪrə/ mə-DEER-ə) is a fortified wine made in the Madeira Islands, off the coast of Portugal. The wine is produced in a variety of styles ranging from dry wines which can be consumed on their own as an aperitif, to sweet wines more usually consumed with dessert.
Etymology
The term "Madeira" is derived from the Portuguese word madeira, meaning "wood". This is in reference to the dense forests that originally covered the island.
Production
Madeira wine is produced using a unique process which involves heating the wine up to temperatures as high as 60°C (140°F) for an extended period of time and deliberately exposing the wine to some levels of oxidation. This process results in a wine that is remarkably robust and can be kept for a long period of time.
Varieties
There are four major varieties of Madeira wine, named after the grape variety used. These are:
- Sercial (pronunciation: /sɛrˈsiːəl/ ser-SEE-əl)
- Verdelho (pronunciation: /vɛrˈdɛljoʊ/ ver-DEL-hoh)
- Bual (pronunciation: /ˈbuːəl/ BOO-əl)
- Malmsey (pronunciation: /ˈmɑːmzi/ MAHM-zee)
Each variety has its own distinct flavor profile, with Sercial being the driest and Malmsey the sweetest.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Madeira
- Wikipedia's article - Madeira
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