sherry-producing region of Spain sometime
before 1600. Winemakers take advantage of
the stability of fortified wines by exposing
them to the air for months or years. They thus
make a virtue of the normally undesirable
oxidative changes in flavor that come with
keeping leftover wine. Most fortified wines
keep well for weeks in an opened bottle or
decanter.
Madeira Beginning in the 15th century,
Portuguese ships embarking on long voyages
to the Indies would pick up barrels of ordinary
wine on the Portuguese island of Madeira.
Sailors and producers soon found that the long
barrel aging in extreme temperatures and with
constant agitation produced an unusual but
attractive wine. By 1700, ships were sailing to
the East Indies and back just to age the barrels
of Madeira stored on board; by 1800, the wine
was being fortified with brandy and hot-aged
on the island. Today, the base wine, which can