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A wine named after an island and an island named after a wine!Discovered by Portuguese navigators in 1418, Madeira Island soon aroused the interest of Infante D. Henrique, who considered it privileged for the planting of vines and sugar cane, as he introduced its cultivation on the island, ordering strains from Greece " Malvasia," originating in Napoli di Malvasia, near Sparta.

With a mild climate and gritty terrain with volcanic and basaltic soils, the vine conquered the island and the Madeiran landscape was transformed.

The smallholding, very parceled out and largely valued for a very intensive and varied polyculture that traditionally associates cattle raising with corn, beans, potatoes and vines on the outskirts, generally arranged in trellises or branches, is similar to what we find in Minho.

The vineyard occupies, in this rural world, about 1700 ha and is mainly intended for the production of VLQPRD "Madeira", a product that was already exported in the 17th century. The areas chosen for this crop are the sunny slopes facing south where, in its high form, the vine gives shelter to other crops, although it is also cultivated in low form, especially in the vicinity of the sea.