LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2022

TREASURES

through the seasons on land, became slowly and uniquely oxidized, add ing spectacular complexity to the wines and bestowing the gift of near immortality. It’s hard to imagine how passion ately Madeira was revered in the centuries that followed. Fans knew that the wine’s four major styles were named for the grapes from which they were made, from the driest Sercial, through Verdelho and Bual, to the sweetest Malvasia (or Malmsey). Madeira producers have moved on from that system, and today’s con noisseurs must learn to interpret vague age designations. Casa Dos Vinhos 5 Year Old Madeira (LCBO 27375, $21.00) is a good portal into this fascinating world. Look for figs and raisin fudge flavours with enough tangy acidity to support the sweet ness. Pair with hard, nippy cheeses or desserts featuring nuts and caramel— or a slice of Madeira cake.

SWEETNESS AND WEIGHT

Sicilian Sensation Fortified Marsala wine was invented in 1773 by an English merchant from Liverpool called John Woodhouse, who noticed a remarkable similarity between the sweet, solera-aged wines fromMarsala in western Sicily and the Madeira he loved. Made from white Grillo grapes, they showed a touch of oxidation, which added a subtle, sherry-like nuttiness. They were also delightfully inexpensive. Woodhouse added neutral brandy to each barrel to help preserve and age the wines and shipped them to England. There, they caused a sensation, holding onto their superstar status for over 150 years. But fashions fade—and the pro ducers of Marsala began to cut every corner they could. Chefs still prized it as a vital component of sauces and desserts such as zabaglione and tira misu, but top-quality, dry versions of the wine—designated as Marsala Vergine—became increasingly rare. Superiore is the next level down. The seventh-generation Sicilian company Carlo Pellegrino has revived tradi tional winemaking techniques to create its sweet “Garibaldi” (Marsala Superiore, LCBO 16180, $13.80), full of rich toffee effects. Served slightly chilled, it’s one of a very few wines that love to be paired with ice cream, meringue or the richest chocolate desserts. Have some Madeira, m’dear I remember tasting an 1887 Verdelho Solera Madeira in Toronto’s Chiado restaurant. Its aroma filled the room; its taste was as fresh, vibrant and profound as the day it was bottled. Longevity is one of the great attributes of a wine that is surrounded by legend.

Wines fromMadeira began to appear in Europe in the mid-1400s, not long after the uninhabited archipelago, 520 kilometres west of Morocco, was sett led by the Portuguese. In the 1700s, merchants began fortifying their wines with grape spirit. At the same time, quite by accident, they stumbled upon the process we now call Maderisation. Barrels of Madeira gradually exposed to heat and then cooled, either by travelling by ship to and from the Tropics or ageing

HARVEYS BRISTOL

CREAM SHERRY Out on the smooth, sweet, distant edge of the sherry galaxy, Bristol Cream (LCBO 215483, $18.50) was first created in 1882. Revived as a modern cocktail

component, it pairs well with Christmas mince pies.

PINEAU DES CHARENTES This is Cognac’s

mistelle, made from neutral brandy and unfermented grape juice. Reynac’s version (LCBO 372169, $22.80) tastes of honey and fresh grapes with a subtle, warming spirit in the background. Serve it very cold as an aperitif.