“I would just say, take off any preconceptions you have about fortified wines. Don't think that they're only for dessert or they're only meant as a digestif. They are aperitifs.They are great in cocktails, and they're great on their own. And they are one of the more versatile wines for food pairing, just in general.” - Paul Carayas

We had the pleasure of speaking with Paul Carayas, U.S.A.’s one and only madeira wine expert, and wine director at Chez TJ. Having been in the hospitality industry for more than 25 years, Paul took a special interest in wines, and later on specifically Madeira wines, and went on to learn as much as he could about the concoction as a sommelier and wine director. He has been the guiding hand in many wine programs throughout the peninsula, as well as serving as a Wine Educator and Judge for numerous industry awards ceremonies, including the Sommeliers Choice Awards by Beverage Trade Network. 

“I discovered Sherry which I loved as well and still do, but then I discovered Madeira and that's kind of when it all just came forefront to me, being that Madeira mostly are white grapes versus ports that are red, you know, it's higher acidity, minerality and then also something that tends to be, in my opinion, just like Champagne, one of the most versatile wines to pair with any food course, or savoury courses. I feel that because I became the first and only certified Madeira wine educator in all of North America and I still am, I feel it's sort of my duty to make sure that people are exposed to this and understand that this is not just for things like cheeses and desserts.”

In this conversation, Mr. Carayas opened our avenues to the different styles of Madeira, and how well they pair with any type of food for any occasion. We talked about culture, history, drinking, and Madeira!

During the 1600s, the Island of Madeira was one of the most important ports on sea routes towards the west end of europe, especially for the portuguese empire. Naturally, the wine made here travelled aboard countless ships. The only problem was that wine spoils on long voyages. There was a solution, fortification. On the next voyages, they would leave with barrels full of sercial grape wine, boal grape wine, made in madeira, fortified with sweet spirits. These fortified wines travelled all around Africa to India, and back, making four trips across the equator. Result? Madeira, a sweet tasting wine, blended or varietal (using one type of Madeiran grapes), that uses constant movement of the seas and the heat of the equatorial sun to bake. The voyagers then enjoyed it, and sommeliers and enthusiasts all over the world still revere a double vintage boal or sercial with the same grace as they did a few centuries ago. It is simply a great wine, versatile, and does not spoil even if you keep them for a few centuries. 

Even today, the Portuguese island is producing high-quality madeira, the only difference is that they don't roam around the equator anymore, they have high-tech chambers that can mimic that atmosphere for decades, creating some really high quality blends and varietal Madeira. Varietal madeira is made from any one of the four noble grapes that are grown on the island of madeira; Sercial, Verdelho, Boal (Bual), and Malmsey (Malvasia). They can be further categorized as Colheita (single vintage with a minimum of five years aging) or Frasqueira (single vintage aged for at least 20 years). There are also 100-year old blends, and some producers are able to source and sell 200-year-old madeira as well. The longevity of the drink, paired with the unique nutty, fruity, and syrupy flavors makes it a novelty on any shelf. “You can technically give it to your grandkids after opening it, it's going to be fine.” 

What is a good entry point Madeira for someone who is foreign to the concept, since a huge majority of people, even wine enthusiasts are completely unaware, or atleast far detached from the concept of Madeira. 

“I would say tasting something that is younger, as far as like even a five-year or a ten-year. I always feel that a good starting point tends to be one that's more on the medium sweet side. So like a boal tends to be one that people, it's a good entry gateway point, if you will. But then it’s also important to have context of what an aged Frasquiera Madeira would be, because those are where things get very, very complex, with a lot of layers and textures. But all in all, I would say usually a ten-year boal is a great, great starting point.” 

Madeira is still relatively underappreciated compared to Port or Sherry—what are some
common misconceptions about it?

That it's all sweet and even though it is sweet, technically by residual sugar standards, there is the Sercial, which is the very, very dry style. People also think that it's a common misconception that it's just like a port, when it's not, or they get the two confused. You know, they have to realize that it's an actual island, a volcanic island with a lot of history. It was the most important trading port in the world, you know, especially for this part of the world (Europe and North Africa) until the Suez Canal opened. You know, so there's just a lot more to it. The more you know, and the more you're exposed, the better understanding you're going to have.

Madeira has a fascinating history. How has the style of Madeira evolved, and why should today's drinkers pay attention to it?

Well, the style of Madeira has not necessarily evolved too much since fortification, since they've been doing that. For the last few hundred years, it's been done essentially the same way. It's just now they are not doing the barrels at the bottom of the ships, traveling the entire world and the entire globe. You know, now they've figured out ways to have the Caintero method which is the more traditional method, where they're actually putting the wines in the barrels and setting them at the tops of the rafters of their buildings, letting them heat and cool and oxidize that way. 
Or there's a more sped up method, for Madeiras that are meant for more blending and things of that nature, that is the Estufagem method, where you're spinning this liquid around with hot water, heating it to about 120 degrees or so for about three months and then oxidizing it, hitting it with oxygen at the same time. This is something that's not as high quality as the others (methods), but essentially that's how they've evolved. You know, the IVBAM, who are the certifying board, are trying to do more things with cocktails and trying to promote (Madeira) more, but you also have a lot of the individual houses that are championing that, which is why I work with Blandy's a lot, because they do that a lot.

How should restaurants, wine bars, and retailers position fortified wines to appeal to modern drinkers?

“Well, I think we just gotta make it hip, we gotta make it cool. We gotta have people just understand that this is not only historic, but there's a reason why, if you were to open a bottle, it's not going to spoil. So you actually have a lot more longevity if you wanted to invest in a bottle, you know it can last, it's indestructible, so you can technically give it to your grandkids after opening it, and it's going to be fine. So there is that component to it as well, and then I think, again, with anything, especially with the wine world and especially with the younger generation, it's just the fear of the unknown. Once we demystify everything and make things approachable and known, it's not scary anymore, you know, and it is something that could benefit them. I mean, everybody that I always deal with and everybody that I talk to, even the younger generations, once they get it and they start to taste full ranges and they have more context, then it's on, you know, then all of a sudden they're just ready to go, they're more open to things and they start to understand that there is a whole world of wine out there, you know, that it's not just, your knack of calves or things of that nature.”

If you had to convince a wine buyer or sommelier to stock more Madeira, what would be your key argument?

One would be the exclusivity of it, also the fact that it's beautiful. You're doing something that is historic, that's cool, that's very versatile. You're exposing your guests to something magical.

Are there any producers, regions, or trends in the fortified wine world that you’re particularly excited about right now?

Well, I will say that Blandy's, who's owned by the Madeira Wine Company, have just now instituted a new range of their ten-year offerings. So their ten-year sercial, the ten-year verde, ten-year boal, and then also the ten-year malmsey with new Packaging, and also just a slightly modified recipe to hopefully be more approachable for the younger generations. So they're doing some really, really cool stuff. Other than that everybody's just trying to reinvent themselves, I guess, that’s the best way to say it right now. 

In speaking with Paul Carayas, it’s clear that Madeira is not just a historic curiosity but a vibrant, versatile wine worthy of modern attention. From its rich maritime past to its unmatched longevity and pairing potential, Madeira offers something few wines can: depth, durability, and discovery. As Paul so passionately emphasized, it’s time to shed the stereotypes—Madeira isn’t just sweet or old-fashioned. It’s a dynamic, evolving category that deserves a place at the table, in the glass, and in the future of wine programs everywhere. For those willing to explore, Madeira is more than a wine—it’s an experience.