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Wine production on the island is of utmost importance, for it is the wine that made Madeira known all over the world. Prince Henry the Navigator probably introduced the first vines to Madeira during initial colonisation of the island. Jesuit priests managed the first wine trading and they owned large properties and vineyards.
The monastic order attained great economic power and had a huge influence over the islanders, both social and spiritual. The greatest impetus to the wine industry was initiated by the English in the latter half of the 18th century. Export was developed and many foreign countries bought Madeira wine.
Today there are many different varieties of Madeira wine. The dry wines such as Sercial and Verdelho are delicious as chilled aperitifs. The sweeter wines are served with dessert and the richest wine, the Malmsey, is an excellent after-dinner drink. |
Madeira wine is so diverse that it is served at any time of the day with practically any type of food. In order to keep the quality of this precious wine during the long sea voyages, it was fortified with the addition of brandy. Experimentation showed that by heating the casks of wine (a process called 'estufagem'), the wine was not only preserved but also acquires a unique burnt flavour, which enhanced the taste considerably.
One intriguing snippet from the history books tells of the Duke of Clarence, who after imprisonment in the tower of London under sentence of death, chose to be drowned in a barrel of Madeira wine. Cheers! |
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