I spent the past week hosting seminars and tastings in Boston and New York for Madeira wines. Fortunately, I was able to taste some of the wines as well. And...
It is a rare occasion that I get to attend a trade tasting, as opposed to running it. But while I am here in DC in between two trade tastings I am organizing, I was able to attend the Wines of Portugal trade tasting.
Portuguese wines are probably that most people are not familiar with. Portugal lays along the Atlantic ocean and shares a border with Spain from top to bottom. There are more than 20 DOC wine regions and 250 grape varieties native to Portugal, offering a range of diverse wine styles.
As you get ready to warm up the barbeque and chill down the beer for your 4th of July parties, think about opening a bottle of Madeira to enjoy with your friends.
Why Madeira? Well, did you know that Madeira was a favorite of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, the founding fathers of the United States? In fact, when they signed the Declaration of Independence, they toasted with Madeira.
What is Madeira? Madeira is the wine named for an island, and an island named for a wine. Understanding Madeira is not an easy feat. The winemaking process, grape varietals and wine styles are not like other wines that you are familiar with.