Port, Sherry and Madeira: fortified wines (by the addition of alcohol) each with a unique character

The Portuguese Porto and Madeira, the Spanish Sherry and our own Marsala (to which we have already paid due homage) represent a small aristocracy of wine: that of the fortified wines. Bottles often looked upon with suspicion by those who consider them to be grandmotherly relics, whereas in reality they embody a surprising modernity. And woe betide those who steal their old age.

Before setting sail for the Atlantic, a necessary clarification: fortification means adding alcohol to wine or must during fermentation. It is a technical choice that interrupts - or directs - the work of the yeasts; it thus conserves part of the natural sugars and opens up aromatic scenarios that are, to say the least, unrepeatable. This is how wines of character are born, often capable of ageing with an ease that many emblazoned reds can only envy.

Let us start with my beloved Port, which originates in the north of Portugal, in the Douro valley, where vineyards climb up vertiginous terraces. Its fortune is also due to the English, great admirers who over the centuries made it the ideal companion for clubs, libraries and after-dinners. That is why so many labels still speak with a British accent: Graham's, Taylor's, Warre's, Cockburn's, to name but a few.

Port possesses the rare gift of versatility. The Ruby is young, juicy, immediate. It goes very well with dark chocolate, but try it with a well-made burger, made from quality meats and garnished with caramelised onions: it will blow you away.The Tawny, aged in casks, smells of nuts, dried figs, dates and caramel. I find it perfect with a medium-long aged Parmigiano Reggiano, but also with a tarte tatin served warm. And then there is the Vintage, the champion that only comes out in great vintages: a wine to wait for with monastic patience. If you are in a hurry, leave it alone.

The Madeira would deserve an adventure novel. It was born on the Portuguese island of the same name, in the middle of the ocean, where for centuries the routes between Europe and the Americas passed. It is said that some barrels, forgotten in the holds during long tropical voyages, returned improved by heat and oxidation. And in wine, legends not infrequently have the good taste to be true. From there was born theMadeira style, still today shaped by the heat.