Broadbent Madeira

The History The island of Madeira was discovered in 1418 by Joao Goncalves Zarco and Tristao Vaz Teixeira and the grape-vine was introduced and brought into Madeira through Infante D. Henrique. The principal island of Madeira has a surface area of 730 square kilometers, and a maximum length of 57 km from east to west and 23 km from north to south.  A mountain range forms a backbone that divides the island into two halves.  The highest point is Pico Ruivo, 2000 meters above se level. It is principally in the sunny hillsides of the south side of Madeira that the grapes are cultivated from which Madeira wine is made.  Infante D. Henrique was active in starting up the planting of sugar cane from Sicily and sent ships to Cândia in Greece to bring the young plants of Malvasia – his object was to obtain for Portugal the trade in sugar and sweet wines which hitherto had been the priviledge of the Genoese and Venetians.  Later, other varieties were planted – Sercial, Boal, Verdelho and Tinta da Madeira which, by virtue of especially good soil and climatic conditions, produced wines of superior quality and became famous.  Madeira wine has spread all over the civilized world, especially in the most aristocratic courts of Europe.  One of Shakespeare’s immortal characters in the play “Henry IV” – Falstaff – was accused of exchanging his soul for a leg of chicken and a goblet of Madeira.  It is also said that, in 1478, an event occurred concerning George, Duke of Clarence, brother of Edward IV, King of England. Condemned to death by High Court, he was allowed to choose how he should die, and he chose to drown himself in a large vessel of the Malvasia wine; this actually took place in the Tower of London, where he was imprisoned.  When the wine that, was taken aboard vessels in Madeira, that sailed for Weast; was not sold in its entirety, it was brought back to Funchal to be returned to its owners.  It was then noticed that it returned in far better quality, afterwards being sold as the “Round trip wine from India” or “simply Round Trip Wine” and it was worth its weight in gold.  This voyage of many days of warm weather gave the wine a gentle ageing that made it much appreciated, even influencing the process of manufacture of this wine. The Region of Madeira includes the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo both with different characteristics; while Madeira is forested and temperate, Porto Santo is hot, dry and bare.  The soil of Madeira is by nature, volcanic, the relief is accentuated and vegetation abundant due to the humidity and mildness of the climate. The wine is cultivated in terraced steps named “poios” which extend on the slopes from high up down to the sea’s edge.  The most favorable places for cultivation are Campanário, Ponta do Pargo, Camara de Lobos and the Estreito.   The Process   Madeira is fortified with Portugese grape brandy to 20% alcohol, usually leaving some residual sugar in the wine.  Shortly after fermentation is complete the wine is heated to approximately 115 degrees and held for six months.  It is then alternately heated and cooled for six-month intervals while slowly maturing in oak barrels.  Barrels are generally large and old so as to not impart any oak flavor or tannin and to promote gradual oxidation.  Made from red and white grapes, the wines are light to dark brown in color due to cask oxidation.  There are four traditional styles corresponding to different grape varieties: dry Sercial, medium dry Verdelho, medium sweet Boal (or Bual) and sweet Malmsey (or Malvasia).  Madeira is the most versatile of all dessert wines because its’ natural high acidity enables it to stand up to all desserts without being overwhelmed.  It is ideal for occasional consumption because it is fully oxidized during winemaking and will not deteriorate after opening. Broadbent Rainwater Madeira, Three Year Fine Rich, and Five Year Reserve are all made from a grape variety called Tinta Negra Mole. It has been popular practice for some Madeira shippers to downplay the quality of Tinta Negra Mole. In the course of his research, however, Michael Broadbent found the quality of wine produced by Tinta Negra Mole to be as high as that of the classic grapes. To create price-competitive, Three and Five Year Olds with great character, Broadbent used the excellent Tinta Negra Mole wines. The Broadbent Styles Rainwater - Aged in oak casks for at least 3 years. Esteemed for its concentrated aroma and subtle flavor, it can be served as an apéritif or as an after dinner drink. Three Year Fine Rich - Aged in oak casks for at least 3 years. Concentrated aroma and intense flavor, it can be served with dessert, cheese, or as an after dinner drink. Five Year Reserve - Aged in oak casks for at least 5 years. A delicious, full-bodied and rich dessert wine, with an excellent balance between sweetness and acidity. Ten Year Malmsey - Aged in oak casks for at least 10 years. A superb, full-bodied, wonderfully rich Madeira with a sweet, rich chocolaty flavor and a concentrated bouquet. Best enjoyed with desserts, or on its own after a meal.

Terrantez Old Reserve - Aged and matured in oak casks for well over 10 years (the exact age of this wine is unknown, but estimated to be between 40 and 50 years of age). Produced only from the rarest and much sought after Terrantez grapes, this is a magnificent Madeira of great longevity. Fruity, rich, and fragrant. 1933 Malmsey (Malvasia) - Made from the finest Malmsey grapes of the 1933 vintage. A superb, full-bodied, wonderfully rich Madeira with a unique honeyed flavor and concentrated bouquet. 1940 Sercial - Made from the finest Sercial grapes of the 1940 vintage. A magnificent, noble Madeira with concentrated flavor and a refined bouquet. This vintage Sercial is excellent served as an aperitif. 1934 Verdelho - Made from the finest Verdelho grapes of the 1934 vintage. A rare and complex wine, boasting hints of dried fruits and vanilla layered over fig and toffee. 1954 Verdelho - Made from the finest Verdelho grapes of the 1954 vintage. The wonderful length with very dry finish of this vintage Madeira makes it suitable for serving as a splendid aperitif or appetizer wine. 1964 Boal - Made from the finest Boal grapes of the 1964 vintage. A deep colored, luscious, medium-rich Madeira with a refreshing acidity to counterbalance its natural sweetness.