Maderia Wine Time!

Something I think my mother has passed down to me is a love for Madeira; nearly 3 years ago was my first time to this gorgeous island ;during my time there i went to a few tasting classes. This wine is so versatile! And can be used in cocktails, baking, cooking, and makes both a great aperitif and digestive (depending on the type!)...I learnt out there are 4 main types of wine, each ranked varying in sweetness...

1- Sercial – very light, quite dry! The least sugary of all.
2- Verdelho- medium-dry ,much sweeter but still light.

3- Boal- Recommended best buy for all uses! (good cocktail ingredient, doesn’t overpower) Darker than the above mentioned, medium- best described as a meeting point between 2 and 4- This is brilliant for an after dinner drink instead of sherry for a beginner drinker.(more aroma of dried fruits such as apricots or orange peel)

4-Malmsey- Most Famous and my most favourite! Brilliantly sweet, dark, the heaviest of all varieties features rich fruity/honeyed undertones.

Bastardo- a less frequently seen variety as only small amounts of the grape are now planted (hard to harvest according to our guide).Most bottles are vintage, luckily i was fortunate enough to try some! But i found it quite bitter and dry compared with other vintage types.It does have an amusing name however! :P

 -1927 may have been a good year for bastardo! ..but it cannot compare to my beloved Malmsey!