Only one Madeira Island and one wine can call itself Madeira!
Madeira wine: what is it? Where does it come from?
Madeira Wine is a unique fortified wine with centuries of tradition, produced only in the demarcated region of Madeira, off the coast of Africa. It holds a prestigious designation of origin: Madeira Wine.
What makes Madeira terroir truly unique is the combination of volcanic soils, steep vineyard terraces, microclimates, and the expertise of local winemakers. The secret lies in its distinctive ageing and heating processes, which give Madeira Wine its legendary longevity and complexity.
Depending on the level of sweetness, it can be served as an aperitif, a dessert wine, in cocktails, or even used in cooking — especially in rich sauces.
In Funchal, the Madeira Wine Company houses a wine museum and historic lodges, where visitors can explore centuries of winemaking heritage and enjoy tastings of the different Madeira wine styles.
Madeira Wine History
Prince Henry the Navigator introduced vines to Madeira from Crete in the 15th century, transforming the island into an Atlantic vineyard.
Madeira soon became an essential port of call for ships crossing the Atlantic or sailing to the East Indies. Sailors stocked up on wine, which not only travelled well but was also prized as a cure against scurvy. By 1537, Madeira Wine was already being exported to Great Britain, attracting the first British merchants.
By the 17th century, Madeira Wine had become one of the island’s most valuable exports, praised in European courts and even mentioned in the works of Shakespeare.
In the 18th century, winemakers discovered fortification and heating techniques that defined the wine we know today. Fortified with distilled alcohol, Madeira could survive long ocean voyages and even improve in flavour. The wine quickly became popular in the American and English colonies.
In the United States, Madeira was beloved by Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin. It was famously used to toast the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the inauguration of Washington as the nation’s capital.
The 19th century brought decline, with vineyards devastated by mildew and Phylloxera. Many were replaced by sugarcane fields, and the American Civil War closed key export markets. The opening of the Suez Canal reduced ship traffic through Madeira, further harming the trade.
Revival came when the Portuguese Government founded the Madeira Wine Institute, preserving quality and restoring the reputation of this extraordinary wine. Today, Madeira Wine once again holds its place among the world’s great wines.
Want to experience this history where it happened? Join our Madeira Wine Tour and step inside the historic wine lodges of Funchal, where centuries of stories come alive with each tasting.
Madeira Wine types
Is Madeira Wine always sweet? Not at all. One of the reasons this fortified wine is so fascinating is the wide range of styles, from dry to rich and sweet, crafted from different grape varieties grown across Madeira Island.
- Malmsey (Malvasia) – the richest and sweetest style, perfect as a dessert wine.
- Bual (Boal) – medium-sweet, often paired with cheeses or rich desserts.
- Verdelho – medium-dry, traditionally served as an aperitif.
- Sercial – dry to extra-dry, crisp and refreshing, also ideal as an aperitif.
- Terrantez – a rare and noble variety, prized for its refined balance, but produced in small quantities.
- Tinta Negra Mole – the most versatile grape, grown at different altitudes and used for a wide range of blends, from dry to sweet.
These varieties reflect the diversity of Madeira’s vineyards, shaped by volcanic soils, microclimates, and centuries of expertise. Each style carries a unique balance of sweetness, acidity, and complexity, making Madeira Wine one of the most versatile wines in the world.
Madeira Wine comes exclusively from Madeira Island, Portugal, and its authenticity is protected by designation of origin.
Curious to taste the difference between Sercial, Verdelho and Malmsey? Join our Madeira Winery Tour & Lunch, where you’ll walk among the vines with local experts and enjoy a guided tasting straight from the source.
How to make Madeira Wine
Planting and pruning
When the first settlers arrived in Madeira, they faced huge challenges: dense forests, steep mountains, little arable land and a shortage of water. Over time, they carved out hundreds of terraces and built more than 3,000 km of levadas, water channels that remain one of Madeira’s engineering wonders.
Today, most vineyards grow between 300 and 750 metres above sea level, supported on traditional trellises (latadas). Beneath the vines, locals still cultivate crops like cabbage, beans and potatoes. Pruning takes place in January, while leaf thinning in summer ensures the grapes receive enough sunlight to reach richness.
Harvesting
Harvest begins when the grapes reach around 9% alcohol potential. Picking starts in the warm southern coast and ends in the cooler northern slopes. The last grape to be picked is Sercial, which ripens slowly in the higher altitudes.
In the past, wicker baskets were used, but today plastic containers prevent juice loss. One thing has not changed: grapes are still carried on shoulders down to the wine lodges in Funchal.
Want to see grape picking and even join the barefoot stomping? Our Madeira Wine Harvest Tour in September lets you live this tradition first-hand.
Pressing the grapes
Although not so frequent, we can still see men curling up their pants, singing and squeezing juice with bare feet in the wine press. We do it on special occasions such as the Madeira Wine Festival or with the grapes for local wine.
Machines press the wines used for exporting.
In the past, we poured the must into goatskins (“borrachos”) put on the forehead of bearers (“borracheiros”) who walked or ran to the wine lodge. This job disappeared, and today we can still see “borrachos” in museums and folk groups performances.
Fermentation
Fermentation starts 12–24 hours after pressing. Yeast converts sugar into alcohol, and the process may last 4–6 weeks. To adjust sweetness, producers stop fermentation by adding grape spirit. Longer fermentation = drier wines (Verdelho, Sercial). Early interruption = sweeter wines (Bual, Malmsey).
Fortification
Madeira is a fortified wine, meaning distilled spirit is added to preserve the wine and boost ageing potential. The spirit used today is neutral grape brandy at 96% alcohol. This fortification process, discovered in the 18th century, is what made Madeira Wine so resilient and long-lived.
Heating Process (Estufagem)
One of Madeira’s secrets is its unique heating method. After fortification, wines are matured in heated chambers (estufas) at around 40ºC for at least three months, replicating the conditions of long sea voyages across the tropics. This process enhances flavour, aroma, and longevity.
A smaller amount of wine follows the traditional Canteiro system, ageing for years in oak barrels under the warm attics of lodges, developing remarkable complexity.
Clarification and Maturation
Wines are filtered for clarity and then matured in oak casks for at least 2–3 years. Some remain in vats for decades, even centuries, with volumes of up to 40,000 litres. During maturation, the wine is regularly pumped to oxygenate and refine its flavour.
The Canteiro Method
The Canteiro system is the noblest way of ageing Madeira wine. The name comes from the wooden beams (canteiros) where casks rest, usually placed on the warm upper floors of wine lodges. Here, the wine undergoes a slow oxidative ageing process, developing unique aromas and flavours that no artificial heating can replicate.
Canteiro wines must age for a minimum of three years from the January after harvest, but many are left in oak barrels for decades, gaining elegance, depth and the complexity that has made Madeira world famous.
During our Madeira Wine Tour in Funchal, you’ll step inside historic lodges where rows of Canteiro barrels quietly mature, some for over a century.
The Solera System
Another traditional technique is the Solera method, a gradual blending process. A row of casks is arranged in tiers: the oldest wine at the bottom, newer wines above. Each year, only 10% of the wine is drawn from the oldest cask, then topped up with slightly younger wines from the tier above.
This cascading system preserves the character of the original vintage while layering in complexity over 10 to 20 years of blending. Solera wines carry the date of the starting vintage and are rare treasures among Madeira wines.
Curious to taste both Canteiro-aged wines and Solera blends? Our Madeira Wine Tour combines vineyard visits with exclusive tastings of these exceptional styles.
Styles
Madeira Wine is classified according to its ageing process:
- Finest Madeira – minimum 3 years ageing.
- Reserve – 5 years in wood.
- Special Reserve – 10 years in wood.
- Extra Reserve – aged for more than 10 years.
- Colheita – a single-harvest wine aged for at least 5 years in cask, bottled with the vintage year.
- Frasqueira or Garrafeira (Vintage Madeira) – the pinnacle of Madeira wines. Produced from a single “noble” grape variety in a single year, aged for at least 20 years in the traditional Canteiro system. These bottles are rare, long-lived, and often hand-labelled with the shipper’s name, year, and grape variety. Once opened, they can be enjoyed for months or even years.
As wine expert Michael Broadbent once said: “If I went to a desert island, I would definitely take an old Solera or an old Vintage Madeira.”
Quality Control – Madeira Wine Institute
All Madeira Wines are subject to strict quality certification by the Madeira Institute of Wine, Embroidery and Handicrafts. Every bottle is laboratory-tested, tasted, and officially sealed to guarantee its origin and authenticity.
Madeira Wine Events
- Madeira Wine Essence – an annual event dedicated to prestigious Portuguese wines, held at the Savoy Palace.
- Madeira Wine Festival (September) – the island’s most colourful wine celebration. With music, dance, food stalls, and fresh grape juice, it recreates the traditions of the harvest. Visitors can even join the grape treading in Funchal.
Taste Madeira Wine Yourself
If you’re visiting Madeira and want to experience this tradition first-hand, our Madeira wine tours and food tours are the perfect way to combine flavours and history:
- Visit a Madeira Wine Lodge in Funchal.
- Explore the Madeira Wine Museum.
- Stroll through vineyards with local producers.
- Enjoy lunch paired with wines among the vines.
- Sample a variety of Madeira wines, from dry Sercial to sweet Malmsey.
➡ Explore our full list of Wine & Food Tours in Madeira.
A Personal Reflection
The most remarkable thing about Madeira Wine is how it brings people together. After a meal or in the quiet of the evening, a glass of Madeira connects you with centuries of tradition, patience, and craftsmanship. That is the true magic of this wine.
Cheers!
Want to Explore Madeira’s Wine on Your Own?
Prefer independent travel? Our Madeira Self-Driving Guidebook is the perfect companion. It includes:
- The best wineries and wine bars to visit.
- Authentic restaurants serving traditional Madeiran food.
- Driving routes to hidden villages and scenic viewpoints.
- Tips on where to stay, when to go, and seasonal highlights.
With digital maps and insider advice, you’ll have everything you need to create your own Madeira wine journey.
Download the guidebook and start planning your independent wine adventure.
