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Discover Premium Madeira Wine Selections - Malvasia, Bual, Sercial & More

At Vintage Wine and Port, we offer a wide selection of Madeira wines, including classic varieties like Bual, Verdelho, and Sercial. Madeira wines are renowned for their rich, nutty flavors and long aging potential. Perfect for pairing with desserts, cheeses, or enjoyed on their own.

Learn about Madeira Wine

Capable of ageing almost indefinitely, Madeira is unique amongst wines.

Madeira is a fortified wine from the Portuguese archipelago islands of Madeira and Porto Santo. Its present guise came about by accident in the 15th and 16th centuries when it was used as ballast for ships and improved after months at sea in the warmth of crossing the equator.

The production process is now replicated to warm the wine during aging, which allows it to develop smooth and complex flavors. Madeira wine can hold its condition for many months after opening.

This wine comes in four different styles: dry, medium-dry, medium-rich, and rich, mostly dictated by the grape variety. However, the Tinta Negra grape can produce the full range of styles.

Madeira Wine Pairings

Madeira wine is an incredibly versatile drink, complementing a wide variety of dishes across the flavor spectrum. For savory pairings, its rich, complex flavors shine when served with roasted meats, game, or even spicy foods. Madeira’s natural acidity and sweetness balance out salty dishes, making it an excellent companion for charcuterie or foie gras. On the sweeter side, its nutty, caramel notes make it an ideal match for desserts such as chocolate torte, fruit-based pastries, or even rich cheeses like blue cheese or aged Gouda.

Its versatility comes from the different styles it offers, from dry to sweet, allowing it to pair well with both light appetizers and more indulgent desserts.

Our short video introducing Madeira wines

Madeira Wine Styles

Malvasia (Malmsey)

Rich

Also known as Malmsey this grape makes the most of the growing season, budding early and ripening late giving it the potential for the most incredible sweetness. This is nicely balanced in the resulting wine which shows ripe fruit flavours and nutty charactersitics.

See our range of Malvasia Madeira

Bual

Medium-Rich

A high acid grape that performs best on the lower slopes of the islands South side. It is fairly easy to grow, yields well and tends to mature early. The acid is beautifully balanced with a medium level of sweetness and as this wine matures, it develops complex flavour combinations of green apples, dried fruit, spices and caramel and has incredible longevity.

See our range of Bual Madeira

Terrantez

Medium-Dry

An old white grape that is only now grown in very small quantities and is very low yielding. It has very thin skins which are particularly susceptible to botrytis and is a late ripener. Its potential is to give highly aromatic, full bodied wines which can age well, developing complexity and long finishes. Whilst these wines are not in common circulation, they are so long lived that some are still in existence from the 18th century.

See our range of Terrantez Madeira

Verdelho

Medium-Dry

Creating wines that sit between the Sercial and Bual styles of sweetness, Verdelho is a white grape that gives low yields and ripens early. It can be high in acid when matured but often has more fruit than other Madeira styles when drunk younger and hints of caramel and coffee with a little more age.

See our range of Verdelho Madeira

Sercial

Dry

The Sercial style is the driest of all the styles of Madeira and made from the Sercial grape variety. Originally a mainland grape, it is compact and thin skinned and ripens late, often making harvest around October time. It has very high acidity and takes the longest time to mature. The result is an intensely fresh and citrussy wine that can last for decades. Light golden tawny in colour, the palate starts with lemons and oranges and develops nutty flavours with maturity.

See our range of Sercial Madeira

Tinta Negra

Dry to Sweet

The only red grape of the noble varieties, Tinta Negra has a thicker skin than the white varieties and is incredibly adaptable so can produce the full range of Madeira wine styles. Alone, this grape has flavours of red fruits and currants but it is more often used in blends with the noble varieties.

See our range of Madeira

Producer of the Month | d’Oliveiras Madeira

D ’Oliveira is one of the greatest of the classic Madeira shippers. Founded in 1850, and an amalgamation of firms dating back to 1820, it is today housed in cellars in Funchal that date from 1619.

It was a privilege in June 2017 for VWP to be invited to a comprehensive madeira tasting of 30 old vintages. The Dd’Oliveira Madeiras are characterised by powerful aromatics, a lush mouthfeel and great viscosity. They have remarkable structure, and a citrus character that is essential to great Madeira.