A Portuguese grape responsible for the driest, most elegant form of Madeira - Sercial. This late-ripening vine, also grown on the mainland, provides grapes that are eye-tinglingly high in acidity and wines that can last for decades. A minimum of twenty years ageing in cask is required for vintage Sercial Madeiras, to ensure that its razor-sharp acidity has softened. Once mature, it makes a perfect aperitif but it can also hold its own very well.