Madeira is a wine of history, made by mistake and crafted by circumstance. With the ability to last for hundreds of years, sometimes it is, quite literally, bottled history. It’s a region whose great fortune was mirrored in its near extinction. Now these singular wines and their makers are experiencing a resurgence into the hearts and glasses of wine drinkers on the hunt for the authentic. Most people still have no notion of what the wine is or why they should drink it. Madeira is a sip of the past and its story is nearly as complex as its wines.

Like the rest of the wines from Europe, Madeira takes the name of where it is made. In this case, it is deemed for the beautiful archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. The cluster of islands are closer to Africa than Europe and remained unsettled until the Portuguese “discovered” them in 1418 at the beginning of the Age of Discovery. It’s prominent location, known as ships’ “last stop” before the new world, has been the key in its destiny.

Read our full guide HERE.