What is madiera wine?
Madeira is actually a type of fortified wine made on the island
of Madeira off the north-western coast of spain.
It is made in the same fashion as sherry however is gains its
distinctive difference from other fortified wine because of a
process called maderization. Basically this means the wine is
essentially cooked or warmed up for a period of time, often in the
attic of the winery, and historically on the boat ride from the
island of Maderia to the mainland.
This cooking process gives the wine a nutty, jammy, almost burn
character.
And like champagne Madeira can only be called Madeira if made on
the island of Madeira.