Madeira wine is a fortified Portuguese wine produced in the paradise of Madeira Island. As in port wine, its appearance was also due to randomness. The need to reduce the costs of wine producers on the island and at the same time preserve the wine that made a long journey by sea led to the introduction of vinic alcohol (responsible for stopping the fermentation of the grape and which consequently provides it with greater sweetness). The moment of interruption of the fermentation is made according to the type of wine you want - Dry, Sweet, Medium Dry and Medium Sweet.
In order to keep the temperatures constant during the boat trips, the ageing processes called "Canteiro" (barrels were left in the sun to be heated) and "Estufagem" (the wine was kept warm at a constant temperature for months inside huge chambers fed by wood or coal on cold days) were started.
Nowadays, although they keep their name, the wine that ages in "Canteiros" remains in barrels supported by wooden beams (called "canteiros") and which are found in the highest floors of the warehouses, where the temperatures are higher, for at least 2 years. Due to the ageing in cask this wine suffers greater oxidation which gives it unique characteristics and intense and complex aromas.
In the "Estufagem" process the wine is placed in stainless steel greenhouses, heated by a coil system, where hot water circulates, for a period of never less than 3 months, at a temperature between 45 and 50ºC.
Sercial, Malvazia, Boal, Tinta Negra, Bastardo, Verdelho and Moscatel or Terrantez are the grape varieties used in the production of Madeira Wine.
Madeira wine producers, for more than 150 years, Pereira d'Oliveira has been a small family business, still managed, in our times, by descendents of the founding partners.
This company does not have its own vineyard, it prefers to buy the grapes from the producers of Madeira Island. Therefore, in order to maintain the very strong and distinctive style of its wine, defined by Luis d'Oliveira as wines with a lot of vigor, a lot of body, with an acidity typical of Madeira wines; wines with a long, full-bodied, aromatic finish and with a graduation always close to the limit (20/22 degrees) the role of the winemaker is crucial.
In this company the winemaker has always been and still is a family member. In this way the way of making this wine is passed down from generation to generation.
Available to order!