Barbeito Tinta Negra Medium Sweet 2007

Barbeito has produced Madeira since 1946 and built its reputation under Ricardo Freitas, who stopped bulk exports in the 1990s to focus on quality. This medium sweet wine is made from Tinta Negra, the most planted grape on the island, from the 2007 vintage. Madeira is defined by its ageing: the wine is fortified to nineteen percent and then matured in cask under the warm conditions of the island, a slow oxidative process that gently cooks and concentrates the wine over years. This controlled exposure to heat and air converts the sugars and acids into the dried-fruit, caramel and nutty character unique to Madeira, while the grape's natural acidity is preserved, keeping even a sweet style fresh and lifted. The colour is hazel. The nose shows apricot jam, dried figs, honey and caramel, with roasted nuts and orange marmalade. The palate is elegant and complex, medium sweet and well balanced, the sweetness cut by Madeira's hallmark acidity through a long, lingering finish. Serve at 14 to 16 degrees in a small glass. It suits nutty and dried-fruit desserts, hard cheeses and caramel puddings.