Cossart Gordon Rainwater Medium Dry Madeira Wine

Cossart Gordon Rainwater Madeira is made from the Tinta Negra Mole grape, fermented off the skins using natural yeasts in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures between 24-26°C. Roughly four days into fermentation, it is fortified with grape brandy to halt fermentation once the desired level of sweetness is reached. Following this, the wine undergoes the “estufagem” process — cyclic heating and cooling at 45-50°C over three months — after which it ages for three years in American oak casks, then is racked, fined, and bottled ready to drink.

On the nose, Cossart Gordon Rainwater Madeira offers a warm topaz colour with golden reflections, exuding classic aromas of dried fruit, orange peel, and gentle oak. The palate is fresh and balanced, underpinned by a firm citrus backbone that gives lift and structure. Sweetness (about 55 g/L residual sugar) is well matched by total acidity (6.00 g/L as tartaric acid, pH ≈ 3.4), culminating in a lingering, long finish. This Rainwater style Madeira requires no decanting and remains stable for several months once opened, making it both delightful on release and rewarding for those who savour Madeira’s character over time.