Madeira is a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of Madeira,in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
The unique flavor of Madeira is derived through heat andoxidization, a legacy of the time when the fortified wine wastransported by lengthy ship voyages, centuries ago. Today, theseconditions are duplicated in hot rooms or heated tanks where theMadeira is stored for at least 90 days. Fine Madeiras are aged inwooden casks in warm conditions for years to develop the unique flavoreven further.
The color of Madeira range from pale blond to deep tawny, and isusually fortified to about 20 percent alcohol (40 proof).