A recent visit to Shanghai by Humberto Jardim, the Chief Executive Officer of Madeira’s famous Henriques & Henriques winery, allowed me to catch up on old times and taste through a batch of outstanding Madeira wines in the company of he who knows most about them. From the Sercials to the Boals to the Malvasias and the other many wines in the company’s portfolio, just about any wine from this historic company will be amongst the best of its class.
About Madeira
The island of Madeira is in fact part of an archipelago that has been associated with one of the world’s most famous times since centuries ago. Undoubtedly, Madeira’s position along important trade and shipping routes (Madeira’s capital, Funchal, was where ships called port to pick up food and wine before setting sail out west or south) facilitated awareness and availability of its wine, enabling the wine of Madeira to become a household name. Madeira has a Denomincion that outlines the production guidelines of the island’s famous fortified and heated-to-oxidation wines, regulating such variables as the grapes, minimum age, and residual sugars of each category. Grapes commonly grown on the island include Sercial, at least two different kinds of Malvasia, Verdelho, Boal, Terrantez, and Tinta Negra.
