Every English schoolchild knows that the Duke of Clarence drowned in a vat of Madeira wine nearly two hundred years ago, and every French adolescent knows the words to a mildly obscene little song about the supposedly aphrodisiac powers of Madeira. Oddly enough, however, even though the English and French consume more of this wine than the people of any other nation (including Portugal, where it is produced), not many of them have ever actually drunk a glass of Madeira. The fact is that nearly 70% of the Madeira (like Marsala wine from Sicily) reaches England and France is used in cooking, and most Frenchmen and Englishmen do not realize that this is one of the world's great sipping wines.

Despite an overall misunderstanding of Madeira by the English, there are several major kinships between port, sherry and Ma- deira, the three most popular wines on the British Isles. All were developed by British wine merchants; all are fortified by the addition of brandy so that they have an alcoholic content of nearly 20%; all can be drunk as aperitifs or dessert wines; and all are relatively expensive.

There are four types of Madeira, Sercial Verdelho, Bual and Malmsey, each named after the different type of grape from it is made. Sercial and Verdelho are light and dry and can be drunk with soup or as an aperitif. Bual and Malmsey are rich, full and heavy and are traditionally thought of as dessert wines. Although some people consider Bual the best balanced of the four, most connoisseurs prefer drinking Malmsey, a rich, velvety wine comparable to the richest Cream Sherries, but with more character. Some consider Malmsey so rich that they drink it as a liqueur.

Regardless of the type of grape, all Madeira wines come from the small volcanic island of that name. Located 800 kilometers southwest of Portugal, Madeira is a physically beautiful place and many wine lovers have found that a special trip to the island is in order during the months of September and October when the wine harvest takes place. Because the hills on the island are so steep, donkeys cannot be taken up for the picking of the grapes, so wine growers press their grapes on the spot, immediately after they have been picked.

Most of the pressing is still done by human feet, and, after this first pressing the mash is further compressed by means of huge stones which are forced down by a wooden screw. The juice is then brought down to the main town of Funchal by young and old men who carry fifty liter goatskins slung over their shoulders. Here the juice is fermented for two to four weeks before a small amount of brandy is added and the mixture is then moved to a heated room called an "estufa", where it is gently cooked at 56 degrees Celsius for three to six months. This heating process ages and matures the wine and takes place under strict government supervision. Special inspectors place thermostatic seals on each estufa, and if the temperature becomes too high the seal is automatically broken and the wine is then confiscated. This is done because even though overheated wines lose much of their richness they appear older than they really are and the government is afraid that unscrupulous dealers might (as has been done in the past) put the wine in bottles with labels that carry prestigious dates and carry enormously high prices.

Once the heating process is over the wine rests for nearly two years. It is then blended, placed in fresh casks and then fortified with additional brandy to bring it to its desired alcohol percentage. The casks are then stacked and set aside to mature for anywhere from three to five years. Once it is bottled, Madeira is a long lived wine, and from time to time an 18th cen- tury bottle is found in which the wine is still quite fresh. I recently tasted a Malmsey from 1848 that was as rich, smooth and delightful as any Madeira I have ever sampled.

Madeira wine readily available in France, England and the United States. Although there are many excellent brands, my own favorites are those bottled by Cossart Gordon, the oldest existing Madeira company, established in 1745. If you bring back just one bottle, most of it should be reserved for drinking but try making the following sauce which is one of the great accompaniments to fillet steaks, veal, beef tongue, wild boar and egg dishes.

Madeira Sauce

2 1/2 cups beef stock
3 Tbsp. carrots, chopped finely
3 Tbsp. carrots, chopped finely
1 Tbsp. celery, chopped finely
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 sprigs parsley
1/2 bay leaf generous pinch of thyme
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. Madeira wine
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
2 - 3 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature, and cut into small pieces

In a saucepan combine the beef stock with the vegetables, red wine, parsley, bay leaf, thyme and 2 Tbsp. of the Madeira wine. Simmer the mixture for 20 minutes and then strain through a muslin cloth into a clean saucepan. Let cool to room temperature.

Blend the cornstarch with 2 Tbsp. of the cool stock and then add this to the remaining stock and beat in well. Simmer until the mixture is clear and lightly thickened (about 5 minutes) and then correct the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. (To this point what you have created is a traditional brown sauce which is useful in many other recipes).

In a clean, dry saucepan bring the remaining Madeira to a boil and continue to boil until it has been reduced to about 3 Tbsp. Add the brown sauce and simmer for a minute or two. Taste and if more wine is needed add it a tablespoon at a time simmering briefly so that the alcohol evaporates. Remove from the flame and just before serving beat in the butter. (Yields about 2 cups of sauce).

Note: If Madeira wine is unavailable one may make Port sauce by substitute Port wine for the Madeira. Although the sauce will not be quite as rich, it will still be excellent.

© Daniel Rogov