Madeira
Madeira is probably the most
indestructible wine in the world. Historically the wines were fortified
with alcohol, and then shipped by boat across the tropics in long sea
journeys. The resulting "cooking" in the holds of the ships
yielded the wine we call Madeira. Nowadays the wine is either artificially
heated or, for the best Madeira, stored in a hot attic. This abuse results
in a unique, delicious wine. The wine's name comes from the name of
the island of Madeira, a Portuguese possession in the Atlantic about
625 miles from Portugal.
