Winemaking, fortified

Madeira wines exhibits a peculiar winemaking processing, fundamental to the development of its specific characteristics. It is a fortified wine made on the island of the same name of the coast of Portugal. The Madeira Island has a long winemaking history dating back to the Age of Exploration, when Madeira was a standard port of call for ships heading to the New World or... 

Viticulture and oenology play an important role in the economy of many countries, and considerable efforts are devoted to improve the quality of products and to match the broadest demands of the market. Many industrial processes are finalized to obtain products with peculiar characteristics. The peculiar characteristics of Madeira wines arise from the specific and singular winemaking process. Once fortified, the wines may be subjected to one of the two different heating processes (Fig. 7.1) Estufagem (baking process) or Canteiro (wood casks). 

The winemaker has several choices in producing the shermat. Some prefer to add spirits to stop the fermentation when it has reached the desired residual sugar level. Others may ferment to dryness and blend back with neutral, sweet, fortified wine material. 

After the process is completed to the winemaker s satisfaction, the wine is fortified to 17-19 percent ethanol, is clarified, and the yeasts are filtered out. The addition of ethanol seems to intensify the flor aroma. 

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