Needless to say, pumpkin pie is sweet … but it’s also more than that. It’s savory and earthy and a little bit spicy. It needs a wine of energy, aliveness, and complexity–a wine that’s a whole lot more than merely sweet.
What’s that wine? It’s not Chardonnay, not Pinot Noir, not Cabernet, not sparkling wine– not anything most of us commonly drink.
It’s Madeira. Let me explain.
Historically, Madeira from Portugal was once the single most popular wine in the Unites States. Drunk by the founding fathers during the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Madeira was also what Francis Scott Keyes drank as he composed the Star-SpangledBanner. Everyone from George Washington to Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams drank copious amounts. Indeed, among the 18th century colonial well-to-do, Madeira “parties” were the forerunners of the American cocktail party.
Madeira is long and vivid with a subtle spiciness, hints of dried orange peel, toffee, caramel, and vanilla, plus a rich nutty sappiness in the middle. With age, it can be mind-bendingly delicious. After tasting it once, no one falls out of love with Madeira.
And it’s THE perfect wine with Pumpkin Pie. Ditto Pecan Pie.
Madeira is fortified, oxidized, and maderized. The best are aged twenty years up to two hundred years before they are released. In a world that seems to operate in minutes, that time horizon is stunning.
The wine Madeira comes from a small cluster of volcanic islands, the largest and most important of which is also called Madeira. Although the islands are geographically part of Africa (about 300 miles off the Moroccan coast), they are nonetheless a province of Portugal, some 600 miles to the northeast.
The wine—which can be bone dry or opulently sweet—starts out much as any other wine. The grapes are harvested and fermented. Then, brandy is added to halt the fermentation and, possibly, leave some natural sweetness. Next, stunningly, the Madeira-to-be is heated (maderized)—either in specially designed tanks or, traditionally, in casks in hot attics. The wine reaches about 130 degrees Fahrenheit and remains at that temperature for months, years, or even many decades. Importantly, the casks are not filled to the brim. The combination of time, heat, and oxygen has a superb mellowing effect on the wine, creating an inimitable velvety texture and complex, hedonic flavor.
But the Madeira isn’t quite done yet. After it’s allowed to cool and rest, a Madeira is then aged for potentially another twenty years, often in casks made from different woods—American oak, chestnut, Brazilian satinwood, even mahogany. Ultimately, the wine will be blended, sometimes with Madeiras of other years (which is why Madeira usually carries no vintage date).
At this point the flavor is off-the-charts delicious.
And now is the logical time to see for yourself. Not only are pumpkin pie and pecan pie exquisite pairings with Madeira, but even without pie, a cold, dark November night is exactly the right emotional context for a wine that has no equal.
You’ll see.
Here are the four styles of Madeira. Give any one of them a try. (Although I personally love Bual with pie).
The Main Styles of Madeira:
Sercial: The driest style—tangy, elegant Madeiras with a bracing grip and dry nutskin flavors.
Verdelho: The medium-dry style—exquisitely balanced and somewhat more full-bodied than sercials.
Bual: A rare, medium-rich style (sometimes spelled boal)—concentrated with sweet richness. Historically, a favorite in English officers’ clubs in India.
Malmsey: The richest, sweetest style—Madeiras of astonishing richness.
Some Madeiras to Try:
There are several top Madeira firms and importers, among them: Rare Wine Company, Barbeito, D’Oliveira, Blandy’s, and Broadbent. You can find any of them in good wine shops and via online retailers.
