Madeira
Styles
Principal grape varieties
SercialBastardo (Trousseau Noir)Malvasia FinaMalvasia CandidaVerdelho (Verdelho Branco)Carao De Moça (Folgasao)CaracolMalvasia Branca De Sao JorgeVerdelho TintoFolgasãoListrao (Listrao Roxo)TriunfoTinta Negra (Mollar Cano)ValveirinhoRio GrandeMalvasia Candida Roxa (Malvasia Di Sardegna Rosada)DeliciosaMoscatel Graudo (Muscat Of Alexandria)
The Portuguese regulator (IVV) does not distinguish principal vs accessory varieties — every authorised casta is listed together in the caderno de especificações.
Terroir
Human factors
- Poios (socalcos) are the most visible human imprint on Madeira's viticultural landscape, enabling cultivation on steeply sloping hillsides.
- The near-impossibility of mechanisation requires manual labour for all agricultural practices: harvest, pruning, green operations, and phytosanitary control.
Product characteristics
- Basaltic soils with low pH impart high acidity to Madeira wines, underpinning their longevity.
- The diversity of Madeira is reflected in its range of sweetness levels, ageing potential, and production process (canteiro or estufagem).
Terroir / wine link
- Basaltic soils with low pH impart high acidity and longevity to Madeira wines.
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the the caderno de especificações.
Sources
- eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-PT-A0038
- Official trade body site — Instituto do Vinho, do Bordado e do Artesanato da Madeira