The Youngest Madeira Brand
2016 is the birth year of a new Madeira brand launched by Madeira Vintners in Portugal. It is the first new Madeira brand in 80 years. Madeira Vintners is also the first new producer on the island since 1946.
The Madeira Vintners is headed by Lisa Gonçalves, a young Madeiran enologist who trained in Algarve, Alentejo, France and New Zealand. Her experience taught her to be open and answer positively to new challenges. She hired young female professionals to help her.
What is more challenging than launching a new Madeira wine on her island? Indeed Madeira wine requires a blend of vintages. To answer the problem Gonçalves decided to create a different wine: she does not use caramel additives; she raises the temperature slowly two degrees every day up to 45° on a two-month period; the kevel of alcohol is kept at 17%, the lowest legal level in Madeira.
The result is an unusual type of Madeira, lighter in color and alcohol, different from the more traditional wine. It should appeal to consumers attracted to tasty and rich wines but lighter and subtler.
Madeira wines are usually expensive and have a better image than Port wines. For that reason, Madeira Vintners wines are dedicated mostly to international markets. What we recognized in this category, is the innovation and creation of a new type of Madeira wine, the two main qualities of a luxury product without the outrageous price.
