Producer Focus – Pereira d’Oliveira Madeira

The flavor profile of Madeira is unlike any other wine and d’Oliviera does it unlike anyone else..

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. Its stocks of old wines have grown over time, either through marriage with other wine-producing families, or by the acquisition of other old firms.

Expect layers of toffee, roasted nuts, dried fruit, caramel, coffee, citrus peel, and exotic spices – often with a tangy, mouthwatering acidity that keeps it lively. That balance of richness and freshness makes it versatile: it can be sipped alone, paired with desserts, or even enjoyed with savory dishes like game or cheese.

There are many enchanting long-lived wines out there, but Madeira has them all beat. This is in large part because the wines are not only fortified, but produced via a process of gradual heating over several months or estufagem, which renders the wines nearly impervious to spoilage.

Madeira is special for other reasons too: it’s made from less-common grape varieties on an outrageously steep Portuguese island out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, closer to Africa than Europe. These wines have residual sugar, but at a very wide range, making the driest of them quite savory. Balance all that with naturally high, fresh acidity, and the combination is captivating and versatile.

“Top-quality madeira is one of the world’s most wickedly underrated fine wines. I know you will have read that about sherry – and that’s true too – but I can understand why people don’t like sherry. It does have a characteristic flavour that some palates will find offputting. But madeira tastes like the elixir of life itself.”

Jancis Robinson