Warm glow for winter

One of my favourite winter warmers is Madeira. It doesn't just have power and flavour; it has complexity and a shot of clean acidity which powers across the palate and keeps the tastebuds fresh. And it seems that I am not alone. Sales of Madeira have leapt, growing by 20 per cent year on year. What this means is that it is much easier to find top-notch Madeiras. Only a few years ago a bottle of Madeira might languish at the back of a kitchen cupboard, brought out occasionally to splash in a sauce but now Madeira is mainstream, a mid-morning reviver, an afternoon indulgence or an accompaniment to fruit cake, mince pies and desserts.

Madeira is a green jewel of an island 400 miles into the Atlantic, off the coast of Morocco. Now a year-round holiday resort, it built its reputation as a calling point for ships sailing to America. The local wine didn't travel too well, so merchants added a bucket of brandy to each cask and then stowed them in the ship's hold. Strangely the wine arrived in better condition that it left, leading everyone to think that Madeira needed to travel before it was drunk. This started the most bizarre period in any wine's life when pipes of Madeira wine were sent on long journeys to aid maturation. These "Vinos da Roda" would set off for distant lands, only to be brought back again to be sold in London, usually with the name of the ship and the journey detailed alongside. The further the wine had travelled, the more expensive it became, until someone had the bright idea of leaving the wine in one place and maturing it in conditions which mimicked the slow rise and fall in temperature experienced by the wine on a long journey.

It was not until the 1900s that Madeira wine ceased its travels, and was left to mature in casks in the warm lofts of the shippers' lodges in Funchal. This "canteiro" method produces the best quality wines and by its very nature, is an expensive process, while less expensive wines may be heated in large stainless steel vats, wrapped round by hot water pipes. All heating is done very gently, so there is never any hint of cooking or burning, but the overall effect is to stabilise the wine to the point that you can open a bottle one year and keep it to the next without noticing any change in the flavour.

Madeira is a difficult place to grow grapes. The steep hillsides are carved into terraces, and vineyards are small, usually privately-owned by householders who sell their grapes to the seven remaining shippers. In the past the traditional grape varieties, Malvasia, Bual, Verdelho and Sercial were replaced by a more prolific variety, Tinta Negra Mole, which managed to adopt the characteristics of each of the classic grapes in the final wine, but all that changed when Portugal joined the EU. Now the long process of replanting vineyards with the classic grapes has begun, and once again the wines described with a varietal name must have been made from that variety.

The essential element of Madeira is its acidity, derived from the dark volcanic soil. The four main grape vaerieties each produces a distinctive style with Sercial as the dryest, and they climb in sweetness through Verdelho, Bual and Malmsey. All of them age wonderfully and the best can age centuries. The oldest Madeira I have tasted came from the early 1800s, its label lost in time, its flavours still powerful and chocolately. But Madeira doesn't have to be so old – a three-year-old is a terrific and affordable introduction to the style.

These are the wines to try if you are new to Madeira.

Henriques & Henriques Full Rich 3-year old, Waitrose 11.49 (50cl)

A terrific introduction with rich raisiny notes and a sweet nutty finish. Try this after lunch with cheese.

Henriques & Henriques 15-year old Sercial, Halifax Wine Co (www.halifaxwinecompany.com) 22.50 (50cl)

Burnished amber in colour, with a dry nutty, citrus-charged nose, it has notes of walnut and quince on the palate with clean, clear acidity and a long elegant finish.

strong>Henriques and Henriques 15-year-old Bual, Halifax Fine Wine 22.50 (50cl)This is my favourite style of Madeira, rich and figgy sweet but not overwhelming, just balanced with notes of apricot, raisins and chocolate. This is a post-prandial Madeira, to be enjoyed on its own, or with cheese or a rich chocolate dessert.

Barbeito Single Harvest 1997, Harrogate Fine Wine (01423 522270) 17.99 (50cl) Made from Tinta Negra Mole, but don't let that put you off because this is deliciously complex with a character that has the nutty, toffee style of a Bual but with the racy acidity of a Sercial. This is a mid-afternoon Madeira to be enjoyed with a block of plain whole nut chocolate and the afternoon movie.

1981 Barbeito Verdelho Frasqueira, Harrogate Fine Wine 34.99 (50cl), also available at Halifax Fine Wine

Stocks of this fabulous wine are limited, be patient because it is well worth the wait. It is a single vintage, aged for 20 years in cask and it has a silky, refined texture with almond, nutty fruit, touches of creamy toffee and a long, vibrant finish.