Dark colour fortified wines have in the last stage of their ageing period (aromatic wines from Jerez, Tawny Ports and brandies).

 

Sweet fortified wines produced with the white Muscat of Alexandria and Pero Ximén (Pedro Ximénez) varieties. The basic characteristic of Malaga wines is their slow and incomplete fermentation that doesn't consume all their sugars, due to their high alcohol content. In order to enrich the must, the recently harvested grapes are insolated for a week or two, until they reach over 350g/l sugar. During natural fermentation, yeasts only decompose about 260g (15,2º), leaving 190g of sugar in wine. But also when the must hasn't got such natural richness of sugars, fermentation should be interrupted adding wine alcohol. This is how sweet Pedro Ximenez, sweet Moscatel and other wines are obtained, enriched with grape preserve (heated must, caramelised and aged in oak), gentle wine (sweet mistelle obtained placing the grapes in the sun), conductor (sweet wine whose fermentation is stopped right after it starts, adding alcohol), colour (very burnt grape preserve) and liqueur wine (mixture of grape preserve, colour and brandy). All Malaga D.O. wines age in Hoya de Málaga, which offers temperate and moderately humid weather conditions well known by Costa del Sol's international tourism. In these vaults wines are aged in static ageing or soleras - proportionately blending young and old wines - following the same method used for Sherry.

 

Red vine (also called Côt) that is mainly grown in Bordeaux. It produces well pigmented, tannic wines and is used to reinforce other wines' colour.

 

This acid can be found in many fruits, such as apples. It freshens the wine. Malic acid comes in grapes and diminishes during bottle ageing or malolactic fermentation. When submitted to malolactic fermentation, it transforms into lactic acid.

 

English name for the Malvasia variety and for the best Madeira wines produced with this grape.

 

Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is the deacidification caused by lactic bacteria (Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc) when they act on malic acid, converting it to smoother lactic acid.

 

Transformation of malic acid into lactic acid by action of lactic bacteria. It can occur during alcoholic fermentation or afterwards. If one doesn't control its occurrence, this fermentation can occur after bottling and form gas, thus making wine unpleasant.

 

One of the noblest Mediterranean varieties used since ancient times to produce dessert wines. Its name is probably derived from Monenvasia, Peloponeso. It has different mutations: white, grey or red. It is mainly used to produce sweet dessert wines. The most famous Malvasias (Malmseys) are the ones from: Cyprus, Crete, Sicily and Madeira. There were also famous Malvasias in the Canary Islands, which have even been mentioned by Shakespeare. In Encostas da Nave, Varosa and Douro a different type of Malvasia is grown, the Malvasia Fina, which is fit for the production of excellent dry white wines.

 

White grape variety recommended in the Douro region.

 

Grape variety recommended in several regions in Portugal. It is particularly important in white, delicately fruity and slightly acidulous white wines in the region of Encostas da Nave and Varosa.