🍷 Sercial
The driest Madeira, made from the Sercial grape.
Sercial is the driest style of Madeira. Madeira is a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of the same name, and Sercial is named after the white grape it is made from. It holds roughly 18–65 grams of sugar per litre, so it tastes almost dry.
Like all Madeira, Sercial is aged with warmth, which is part of its character. Grape spirit is added, so it is stronger than ordinary wine and keeps for a very long time. The taste is fresh and sharply acidic, with notes of nuts and dried fruit.
Sercial is close to other Madeira styles that differ in sweetness; Verdelho, for example, is a little sweeter. It is one of Portugal's best-known wines and is often served chilled as an aperitif before a meal. Madeira is aged for a long time, and good bottles are kept for decades. Sercial is served chilled before a meal, for example with almonds or a light soup.
Links
- Part of
- 🍷 Madeira
- Where it is made
- 🗺️ Portuguese wine
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Madeira, 🍷 Verdelho Madeira
Frequently asked questions
What is Sercial?
It is a dry Madeira, a fortified wine from the island of Madeira made from the white Sercial grape.
How much sugar does Sercial have?
About 18–65 grams per litre, which makes it the driest Madeira style.
How long does an open bottle last?
Like all Madeira, it resists air very well, and an opened bottle can stay good for months.
Similar
🍷 Bual · 🍷 Terrantez · 🍷 Rainwater Madeira · 🍷 Frasqueira Madeira · 🍷 Verdelho Madeira · 🍷 Malmsey
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.