In the world of fine wine, Madeira is an oddity. It stands alone at the top of the pile, without peers or imitators. 'Made… ira' is a fortified wine named after the volcanic island it comes from, between the coasts of Portugal and West Africa.
So the story goes, it was originally 'discovered' by accident. When wines from the island were transported by sea, they were fortified with alcohol to survive the length of time and the conditions on the sea vessels. During the voyage they were baked or coo