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For Europeans (although we didn’t yet call ourselves that), the 15th century was the most exciting time in history ever. For thousands of years, the wide world was frightening, only known by tales. The earth was flat, and if a ship went too far, it would fall off. There were huge dragons that could swallow a ship in one bite. And at unpredictable moments, the ocean water started to cook. Not to mention a mast that breaks off, mutiny, privateers, or shortage of drinking water. But the biggest killer on board was scurvy, caused by vitamin C deficiency. In that time, brave explorers like Columbus discovered the world by sailing the oceans. These ships would carry carpenters, doctors, priests, and artists. And many sailors and soldiers, crammed into the hold. Poor, desperate people that had nothing to lose, some of them recruited from prison.
Henrique the Navigator from Portugal decided to explore the west coast of Africa. In 1418, captain Bartolomeu Perestrello and his crew took off. A violent storm drove them over the ocean, until finally, they found shelter on a small island. They named it Porto Santo, the sacred port, because it saved their lives. In 1419, they came back and discovered Madeira, meaning ‘woodland’. For the first settlers, this wood was a big obstacle, so they created a sea of fire, that lasted 7 years!
Wheat was the first agricultural cultivation, but it was not a success. Soon after, sugarcane from Sicily was planted, in 1450 followed by Malvasia, or Malmsey grapes from Crete. Still today, this is the most well-known vine grape of Madeira.
In 1497, Vasco da Gama was the first to sail to India. Back in Portugal, after a voyage of two years, he was honoured as a hero, although only 60 of his 170 seafarers survived! But it opened the world. In the following centuries, worldwide trade started to grow. Can you imagine, the fastest transport and communication was by horse, or ship.
There were thousands of ships crossing the oceans, and Madeira became the ‘hub of the world’. Before reaching America or South-Africa, Madeira was the last post to stock up on fresh supplies, such as drinking water and vegetables. Madeira wine was taken as ballast on the ship. It also proved very useful in ending a mutiny. Madeira wine was getting famous amongst the rich and noble, and Madeira wine became the most important cargo of some ships. On 1776, July 4th, the American Declaration of Independence was sealed with a glass of Malmsey Madeira. And in 1815, when Napoleon was banned to Saint Helena, he received a barrel of Madeira wine. The emperor did not take a sip of it, being afraid it was poisoned. In 1950, a bottle of this cask was offered to Sir Winston Churchill, when he was on holiday on Madeira.
There is so much more to tell about the history of Madeira, and you can find it all in this book: ‘Madeira Wine Today’.
Jeroen Bronkhorst is Madeira Wine Educator and author of ‘Madeira Wine Today’.