Madeira
A fortified wine from the island of the same name, Madeira was discovered after table wine stored in ships bound for Africa and the East Indies was 'cooked' in the extreme heat. Surprisingly the wine improved with the heat, and until the end of the 19th century Madeira was made by transporting wine to Indonesia and back to achieve the right amount of heating!
Nowadays Madeira is made on the island with alternative systems of heating. Waitrose sell Blandy's Duke of Clarence Rich Madeira, a full-bodied and soft textured variety.
Uses: Rich Madeira is an ideal after-dinner drink and is also delicious served with rich fruit cake or mince pies. Drier varieties of Madeira are particularly good served with clear soups.