The Essential Guide to Modern Madeira by Richard Mayson
Published by The International Wine & Food Society
Available from iwfs.org/secretariat/purchase and richardmayson.com/shop/p/the-essential-guide-to-modern-madeira
102 pages; $13.60 / £9.99 / €14.60
Madeira. Simply mentioning the word in wine company stirs images of prim Miss Marple types stretching a thimbleful over an hour’s desiccated conversation. Madeira is trapped in a frumpy pigeonhole, even more so than its cousins Sherry and Port, and escape will remain impossible until an uncaring wine world sits up and takes note of one of its greatest treasures. One can only hope that someday the wider wine world, and not just the loyal band of Madeiraphiles, will realize what an extraordinary and wonderful wine it is. If they do, much of the credit for their awakening will belong to Richard Mayson.
Mayson is already well known for his advocacy of fortified wines, and his Madeira: The Islands and Their Wines (Infinite Ideas, 2015) remains my go-to reference on the subject. A possible drawback of that book, however, is that it may prove intimidating to the neophyte who wants a primer rather than an all-encompassing tome. They will find it in The Essential Guide to Modern Madeira, which, though small in scale, is grand in scope. The key is in the title, “essential” and “modern” signaling that this monograph is packed with useful information while also being right up to date. Indeed physically, it is a deceptively small publication, perfect for stuffing into a jacket pocket or shoulder bag,
This Article was originally published on World of Fine Wine
