Sure the picture may be a little blurry and a bit off center but hey you would be too if you decided to tick off 3 varietals (in their fortified state) in an evening. These were opened during a wonderful family reunion in Door County WI. Temperatures were high for the season so breaking open a high octane fortified wine wasn't on the top of the "good idea" list but in the name of the quest we struggled on....Madeira is a fortified wine made in the Portuguese Madeira Islands. (Check that link for some really fascinating detail). There are four major types of Madeira three of which you see above. There are 5 age classifications stretching from 5 years to 20+. We tried the youngest and least expensive.
These wines spanned from dry to sweet and light to dark. Each had their own specific character while still having an underlying similarity. The sercial was dry and lighter, the bual was sweeter with a deeper tone and the malmsey (malvasia) the darkest and richest.
I found these wines to be compelling and fascinating and am very interested in trying some of the best of the best in this category. Perhaps while studying its long history and its impact on the formation of the United States.
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