In Madeira, where the slopes plunge into the Atlantic and wine is as much a part of the landscape as the levadas, three sommeliers from Michelin-starred restaurants were challenged by Essential to take on the role of liquid ambassadors for the island. João Barbosa, from the Desarma, Dinarte Silva, from the William, and Leonel Nunes, from the Il Gallo D'Oro all speak passionately about a heritage that is at once history, science and emotion: Madeira wine, in its fortified and still versions, and the challenge of ensuring it is understood by those tasting it for the first time.
“Madeira wine is a fortified wine,” begins João Barbosa. “During the fermentation process, wine spirit is added, interrupting the process and preserving part of the natural sugar in the grapes.” The Desarma sommelier describes with technical precision what distinguishes it from still wines: it is lighter, fresher and has a lower alcohol content. This explanation, he says, is essential when curious visitors ask why Madeira wine is so different from anything they know.
Dinarte Silva, from the William, complements the idea with an appeal to the palate: ‘The steaming or canteiro process gives the wine oxidative, caramelised, dried fruit notes and great longevity.’ Still wines, he says, ‘express the terroir, Atlantic minerality and freshness.’ This distinction is not just technical, it is cultural. ‘We compare Madeira liqueur wine with a Tawny Port or an Oloroso Sherry, but we emphasise the unique acidity that makes it unmistakable.’
Leonel Nunes, Michelin sommelier of the year 2024 and responsible for the wine list at the Il Gallo D'Oro, warns that ‘Madeira wines have to be explained in a certain way because their process is unique in the world.’ He speaks enthusiastically about the ageing methods – canteiro and estufagem – and fortification ‘with higher alcohol content’, which gives the wine its distinctive character. ‘No one else uses these processes.’ For him, this uniqueness is a source of fascination, but also a challenge: ‘It's difficult to explain how Madeira wine is made.’
In Madeira's Michelin-starred restaurants, explaining a wine is a way of telling the story of the island. João Barbosa uses the comparison between grape varieties: ‘Sercial, Verdelho, Boal and Malvasia, which range from the driest to the sweetest,’ to guide visitors through the nuances of Madeira wine. Customers ‘learn to distinguish the ageing time and type of wood, and understand how these variables transform colour, aroma and flavour.’
Dinarte Silva prefers to start with familiar references: ‘For still wines, we compare them with wines from the Atlantic, the Azores, the Canary Islands and Colares, where the sea and volcanic soil are shared features.’ In this way, visitors understand the ‘tension and freshness’ that characterise Madeira wine.
Leonel Nunes reinforces this educational need: ‘We have to unlock the wine for the customer.’ He talks about a ‘very marked and high’ acidity which, if not properly explained, can put off unaccustomed palates. “Some people sometimes don’t like it, so we have to prepare their expectations.”
When it comes to still wines, the three sommeliers agree: Madeira whites are at the forefront of quality.
João Barbosa speaks of “light, elegant and consistent wines with balanced acidity”. Dinarte Silva agrees: ‘The whites are more representative of the Atlantic identity.’ Leonel Nunes, in turn, adds that ‘the island's terroir is more suitable for white wines,’ due to the altitude and volcanic soil, which gives them brightness and energy.
Red wines, on the other hand, are a category under construction. ‘There is potential, but they still face challenges in terms of quality stability,’ says João Barbosa. Leonel Nunes adds: ‘When producers believe that acidity is the main component and make red wines with this in mind, they achieve very good results — but not all consumers are ready for this style.’
Another point of consensus is the importance of the production houses. ‘Each producer has their own style, their own philosophy, and this influences the experience,’ says Dinarte Silva. At the William, he recommends the style first and only then chooses the producer, because ‘each house has its own signature.’ João Barbosa follows the same line, distinguishing names such as Blandy's, Barbeito, and D'Oliveiras, and emphasising that ‘each one has different techniques and sensory profiles.’ Leonel Nunes completes the picture with examples: ‘Barbeito focuses more on acidity; Blandy's is more classic.’ He concludes: “In such a small and unique product, we still manage to have a huge diversity of styles. That’s fantastic.”
Shared in common by the three sommeliers is the picture of an island whose wine tradition is centuries old, but which is also experiencing a renaissance in still wines. “In the last five or six years, quality has skyrocketed,” says Leonel Nunes.
And perhaps that is the most beautiful task for these professionals: translating the liquid soul of Madeira to those arriving from abroad. In the end, visitors leave not only with a glass of wine, but with the feeling of having drunk a piece of the island's history.
To enhance this advice, the Madeira Wine Institute is promoting training courses for sommeliers from various restaurants on how to recommend Madeira wines. It is a new idea, but the ambition is to increase visitors' knowledge of the island's wines. For now, the goal is to take advantage of the centuries-old fame of fortified wines and introduce still wines, promoting the demarcated region as a whole. Winemakers are involved in this process and wine houses are grateful. But those who present the product to customers need to know what a Madeira wine is.
