Maderization technique in which the wine is placed in barrels and stored on the beams of an unrefrigerated warehouse, where it will be subjected to the high temperatures of the subtropical sun for at least two years.

As some evaporation occurs, the remaining wine is more concentrated developing more complex aromas.

The wines produced with this technique are considered of higher quality. Canteiro wine can be bottled at least after the third year, although it is usual for it to remain in the barrel for 20 years or more.

• Sercial
• Verdelho
• Boal
• Malmsey

• Rainwater: Traditional name for a dry mosca with a golden or semi-golden color. Madeira wine lighter style
• Indication of years (more by style than by age): 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 or more than 50 years
• Colheita: Wines from a single vintage (at least 85%) and aged for at least 5 years before bottling.
• Frasqueira: vintage Madeira, with a minimum of 20 years in barrel

Maderization technique that consists of heating the wine to 45 or 50º in a concrete or stainless steel tank called a “stove”, circulating hot water through a submerged coil. The process lasts 3 months, and then it is maintained for another 3 months before being transferred to barrels for aging. It is the cheapest and fastest method.

• There is a variant called “heat armazem”, which consists of leaving the wine in vats in a large room that is heated by steam for between six months and a year. This process uses less temperature and longer periods. It is considered less hostile to wine and of intermediate quality between the other two types.
• The wines produced by stufagem can be released two years after the harvest.

• Mild subtropical climate
• Moderate rain in the plantation area, although rare in summer. 75% in autumn / winter.

Cuba de calor

• tinta negra (negra mole, as in the Canary Islands)
• Bastardo
• Verdelho tinto
• Malvasia candida roxa (rosé)

The EU requires, to name a wine with the name of a grape, it must contain at least 85% of that variety.

For this reason, most Madeira wine does not include traditional denominations based on variety names.

• Verdelho
• Arinto (pedernã)
• Terrantez

Madeira was used as a refueling point on routes to the colonies. The wines were fortified to avoid spoiling. However, the time spent in high temperatures during the trip drastically improved the wine, resulting in amber-colored wines with aromas of nutty and caramel. This process of "cooking" of the wines is called "maderization".

Madeira's typical canal system to irrigate the vineyards, dating back to the mid-15th century

• Sercial
• Verdelho
• Boal
• Malvasía (Malmsey)

There is dry and sweet Madeira wine. Depending on the type, it is fortified during fermentation or afterwards.

There are two types:

• “Bica aberta” for dry and medium dry wines
• “Curtimenta” that provides tannin that compensates for the sugar

Madeira wines have more acidity than Port, so the relative sweetness is different.

For dry styles, sercial, verdelho, or black ink are used. It is fortified during fermentation, which cuts the process when the wine still has sugar. Later the process of "maderización" passes.

Fortification is carried out with 96% wine alcohol

• Canteiro Method
• Estufagem Process

There is an IGP, regional wine of the Azores, but three islands have their own DOCs: Biscoitos, Graciosa and Pico