Madeira is fortified with Portugese grape brandy to 20% alcohol, usually leaving some residual sugar in the wine. After fermentation is complete the wine is alternately heated and cooled for six-month intervals while slowly maturing in oak barrels. The barrels are generally large and old so as to not impart any oak flavor or tannin and to promote gradual oxidation.

Broadbent Madeiras are made in the classic British style, and all spend time in 650 Liter casks with as much as 150 years of age. Made from both red and white grapes, Madeiras are light to dark brown in color due to cask oxidation. Begun in 1996, Broadbent Madeira was inspired by Bartholomew Broadbent’s father, Michael Broadbent, who called Madeira his “desert island wine,” and who played a crucial role along with his wife, Daphne, in sourcing the wines and establishing the blends. Blending helps to balance the wine, to add layers of flavors and to better integrate the sugars and acids. It allows the winemaker to select the best characteristics of different wines to create a much better flavor profile, while maintaining consistent quality.