Madeira
© Nuno Rodrigues
The Madeira Island, located in the Atlantic Ocean, of volcanic origin, has created a unique and stunning landscape dominated by steep mountains, deep valleys and the lush and dense Laurissilva Forest.
©Simon Zino
©Duarte Sol
©Carlos Gouveia
Discovered at the height of Portuguese maritime explorations in 1419 by navigators João Gonçalves Zarco, Tristão Vaz Teixeira, and Bartolomeu Perestrelo, under the aegis of Prince Henry the Navigator, it is an integral part of the Portuguese territory. Positioned in the Atlantic Ocean, it covers an area of 728 km², approximately 600 km from the west coast of Morocco and 978 km from the southwest coast of Lisbon.
As a result, it benefits from a subtropical climate, characterized by microclimates with a marked Atlantic influence, featuring mild temperatures throughout the year.
Grape Varieties
In the production of Madeira Wine, we use the Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malvasia, and Tinta Negra grape varieties. We also have wines made from the Terrantez grape variety, which is currently very scarce.
Terroir
The acidity balance
Our soils are volcanic and basaltic, with a clay texture, acidic, rich in organic matter and directly exposed to sunlight and sea breezes. The climate on the island is influenced by the northeast wind almost all year round. The variety of microclimates originating from the topographical conditions is truly astonishing. Summers are warm and humid, and winters are mild. In the wine-growing areas, we find sub-humid to humid and arid climates, depending on the coast and altitude. These conditions, combined with the traditional vine training system in latada (pergola), often compromise the maturation of the grapes, providing wines with very high acidity levels, a distinctive characteristic of all Madeira Wines. The Terroir of our wines is quite unique. According to the Larousse Guide, "Terroir" is a French word without translation in any other language that signifies the most intimate relationship between the soil and the particular microclimate, which gives birth to a type of grape that expresses a unique quality, thus defining a typicity and identity of its own.
The exceptional quality of the grapes
H.M. Borges bases its cornerstone on the excellence of quality associated with technological evolution, while maintaining the traditional values of Madeira Wine production. The harvest is the most awaited moment for farmers and companies. Between August and September, after a year of hard work, comes the moment everyone has been waiting for. It is with the grape picking that the winemakers can predict the quality of the harvest and all the potential for producing excellent quality wines. The grapes are entirely handpicked and transported in boxes that accommodate them and ensure their perfect sanitary condition, thus avoiding crushing or premature fermentation before they arrive at our winery.
... combined with the mastery of man.
Ageing
“ESTUFAGEM”
"Estufagem" emerged as a way to recreate the "Vinho da Roda" and involves placing the wine in stainless steel vats for a period of not less than three months, at a controlled temperature not exceeding 50 degrees Celsius. After the "Estufagem," the wine undergoes a maturation period of at least 90 days at room temperature, in stainless steel or in wooden casks.
“CANTEIRO”
The name comes from the wooden beams that support the casks, which are called "canteiro." The wines selected for aging in this process are mainly from noble grape varieties, namely Malvasia, Boal, Sercial, Verdelho, and Terrantez.
Madeira Wine Categories
BLENDS
WITHOUT AGE INDICATION
Wines with a minimum average aging of 3 years.
WITH AGE INDICATION
Wines with indicated average ages allowed with a minimum of 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 up to 50+ years.
WITH AGE INDICATION
SINGLE HARVEST
Aged continuously in wood for 5 to 18 years.
FRASQUEIRA
Produced by the canteiro process and subjected to a minimum continuous aging of 20 years in wood.
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