quicksearch cocktails:   search tips

glossary (MA - Mar)

M.A.
To be found on Champagne bottles, meaning the second choise or special filling up of a Champagne house.

Madeira
Madeira can only be produced from wines of the Portuguese Island Madeira. It has to be exported througgh the Port of Funchal. The Island's character is its vulcanic soil. The vine-kinds Malvasier or Boal (sweet) and Sercial or Verdelho (dry) grow here very well. Until the middle of the 18th century Madeira-wines were exported as unmixed still-wines of normal kind. The spirit was distilled from berry-surplus and just in 1753, the mixture of wine and spirit started. The harvest starts mid-August and takes until the end of October. The grapes are pressed by using feed in wood-containers instead of being mashed in a maschine. Afterwards, the mash is pressed strongly and the cider is transferred to the fermentation-barrels by being transported in goat-skins. All fermentation-barres are transported to Funchal, where the young wine is further treated in the storage halls of the big companies. The young wine is warmed up in the sun or in heat accumulation for about six months. The temperature rises up to 40 to 46 degrees. To produce sweet Madeirta-wines, the wine is mixed with cane-sugar spirit. The dry Madeira-wines are totally fermented first, then warmed up and afterwards it is mixed. After warming up, the wine, which is necessary for the ripening, the wine is stored for 18 months. Then it is treated according to the Spanish Solera-System. Just at this point, the Madeira has its characteristic caramel-taste.
Types:
Malmsey: It is an only from Malvasier-vines pressed Madeira.
Bual, Boal: It is a bit lighter than Malmsey and not that sweet.
Verdelho: It is charcterised by a slightly honey taste and very strong smokeyness.
Sercial: It is the driest one of the Madeiras.
Rainwater: It is light in its colour and medium sweet to dry in its taste.
Southside: This product-blend is especially made for the American taste. Vintage-Solera: This qualitative very high placed Madeira is produced from very old wines.
Known Madeira-production companies:
Miles, Rutherford & Co., Blandy, Gordon & Co, Leacock & Co, Lomelino, Barbeito, Henriques.

Magnum
This is a double sized bottle of 1.5 litre amount.

Mahaleb
Is the Austrian expressian of Marellos.

Mango
It is a stone fruit, sweety-bitter and very juicy, green, yellow, orange or in red, sometimes it can consist of two colours, as well. The pulp is mostly dark yellow or light orange. The fruit is rich in vitamin A, B and C, originally comes from India and Bura, but today it is growing in West-Africa, Brazil, California, Florida, Israel and Egypt, as well. The fresh fruit is used for decoration, but the inedible peeling must be taken off, also it is used to make juice and syrup out of it. Known products: Riemerschmid Mango (fruitsyrup) and Donath Domango (fruitdrink).

Manzanilla
This is a special light and dry Sherry, that is just growing in the area of Bodegas of Sanlucar de Barrameda.

Maple Syrup
It is extracted from the juice of canadian and american maple trees, often used instead of gum, German Ahornsirup, French Sirop d'Erable, well-known product: Citadelle d'Erable (Canada)

Maple syrup
Is English for Ahornsirup.

Maracuja
Is another word for Passionfruit.

Maraske
Belongs to the category of Marellos.