Wine: Versatile Madeira style pairs well with food

I felt the winter cold coming on last week, and so I stocked up my cellar with some nice fortified wines.  Then it suddenly turned to spring, and I broke out the Pinot Grigio.

My wine choices are bordering on schizophrenic lately, depending on what mood Mother Nature is in.  As much as I am looking forward to warmer weather, I was counting on a few chilly days to enjoy the wines that are perfect for nights by the fire.  I can only hope that March provides at least a few wintry storms.  Did I just say that?

Storms are not that bad, if you are cozied up inside with the right fortifications.  As a follow-up to last week’s column, here is a wine to try that is made for the cooler climates.

Madeira is a fortified wine that has been made by adding extra alcohol to the wine.  Centuries ago, this helped the wines not to spoil on the long voyages via trade ships.  In the case of Madeira, those ocean trips took the wine through the tropics, which added an element of heat to the final product. Today, this effect is duplicated in the production of Madeira, producing a signature beverage that has definitely found its niche in the modern wine-drinking world.

High-alcohol wines fortify you for cold weather

Madeira wine is made on the island of the same name.  That island is about 600 miles off the coast of Portugal.  It is a unique place, and the terrain is very mountainous, with volcanic soils.  Only certain grapes can thrive here, and the wine can be made in styles from dry to sweet.

Although it is a great wine to cook with, the best Madeiras are made to be drunk.  You will find that the most prestigious ones can be quite pricey, and fall into four categories that are defined by the grape from which the wine is made;

• Sercial Madeira is made from the sercial grape and is the driest style, with crisp citrus and mineral flavors.  
• Verdelho Madeira is made from the verdelho grape and is medium dry with a heavier, smoky note.  
• Bual Madeira is made from the bual grape and is medium sweet and rich, and tastes like roasted nuts and raisins.  
• And Malmsey Madeira is made from the malmsey (malvasia) grape and is the sweetest style of all, tasting like a dark chocolate caramel.

The above four are considered to be the noble grapes of Madeira.  But there is another workhorse grape that produces a good amount of great Madeira in just about any style of sweetness you can imagine.  It is called Tinta Negra Mole, and it is the grape that produces this week’s “Wine to Try”.

Wine to try:  Blandy’s Rainwater Madeira NV.  The winery is Blandy’s, one of the original founding families of Madeira.  The style is called “Rainwater.”  It is a blend of several different vintages, thus the “NV,” or non-vintage, designation.

Grapes: 100 percent Tinta Negra Mole.  This red grape is the most widely planted on the island.  It was born of a cross between the Grenache grape and Pinot noir.  Although Tinta Negra can be used in a variety of Madeira styles, it is the most popular choice for the Rainwater type.

Rainwater Madeira is light for a fortified wine, and a great place to start if you are trying Madeira for the first time.  There are several theories on how it got its name.  One refers to the extensive rainfall on the island that is essential for irrigation since the mountainous slopes are so steep.  Another story states that a barrel destined for shipment was inadvertently left unsealed on the beach during a rainstorm, diluting it to an easy drinking quaff.  And one tale tells of a Madeira loving gentlemen in Savannah, Georgia, who claimed upon first taste that the stuff was “as fine as rainwater.”

Whichever story is right, Rainwater Madeira became hugely popular in the early American colonies.  The Founding Fathers loved it, and toasted the signing of the Declaration of Independence with multiple glassfuls.

Taste:  In the glass, this could be a lovely summer rosé, it is that pretty.  But one small sniff and you know you are in for something much bigger.  At 18 percent alcohol, this fortified wine has also gone through a heating process called “estufugem,” which gives the wine a very nutty and almost burnt flavor.  Think of cooking down some granulated sugar into a caramel syrup and the aromas that come from the pan.  That is exactly what this wine tastes like: not too dry, not too sweet.  It is high octane, but smooth, and a little goes a long way.  It's best served in a small sherry-size glass.

Food pairings:  One of the most versatile of the Madeira styles, Blandy’s Rainwater will amaze you with its food pairing abilities.  We sipped it alongside a selection of sharp Vermont Cheddars, and it was perfect.

Whereas the Sercial and Verdelho Madeira wines are enjoyed mostly as aperitifs (before dinner), and the Bual and Malmsey styles are served mostly as dessert wines (after dinner), the Rainwater Madeira style can be used for both!  It is medium dry and is excellent with savory nibbles and charcuterie during cocktail hour.  Or, serve it after a meal with desserts such as cheesecake, crème caramel and toffee pudding.  Or, just pour yourself a small glass when you watch the news these days.  It will help.

Price: This is not for cooking.  There are much less expensive choices for your chicken and veal sauces.  For $18 to $20 a bottle, this Rainwater is a spectacular introduction to one of the most unique treasures on the planet.  And the wine will not go bad.  Once opened, keep it in a cool, dark place and enjoy for months to come.  Winter storm or not, you’ll be happy to have a bottle on hand.