The Portuguese Wine that Toasted the American Revolution

Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze, 1851 (Public Domain)

This Fourth of July, I will mark the occasion of America’s independence with a bottle of Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs Sparkling Wine (Brut, Vintage 2022). One of the leading and original sparkling wines of the United States, Schramsberg was famously served at President Nixon’s 1972 “Toast to Peace” with China’s Premier Zhou Enlai, marking the first time an American wine had been offered at an official State Function. Since then, many American wines have graced the White House, with Schramsberg being a frequent choice.

The years that saw the American Revolution and the Founding of the United States of America very obviously pre-date the American wine industry by decades (and perhaps centuries if we were to wait for any really good wine). As such, our founding fathers often reached for Madeira—a fortified wine made on an island located off the coast of Africa but belonging to Portugal—to mark many a revolutionary occasion.

Like many fortified wines (think Marsala, Sherry, or Port), Madeira’s golden age may be many years behind us. However, in the heady days of the 1700 and 1800s, it was all the rage…and the British Colonists attempting to create a new world in North America had a particular fondness for Madeira. Madeira was a status symbol, a staple of economic trade, and (eventually), a badge of honor for the revolutionary, no taxation without representation throng.

The days of colonial America were the days of the Atlantic trade routes. Madeira was shipped from Portugal to British colonies across the world, including those in North America. Unlike more delicate wines (such as Bordeaux) that suffered from the long, hot journey across the seas, Madeira—rich, robust, and fortified—improved with the journey.

Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull, 1817 (Public Domain)

Madeira was also subject to lower taxes than the products of France or Spain.  As such, Madeira was delicious, strong, widely available, inexpensive, and wildly popular in colonial America. Beginning in the 1750s, Madeira Parties—groups of men day drinking Madeira—were all the rage in cities like Boston, Baltimore, Savannah, and Charleston. Like all legendary parties, Madeira Parties could get out of hand.

This (may have) happened after the passage of the very unpopular Stamp Act that greatly increased the taxation put upon many imported goods by the British Crown. Colonists hated taxation so much that it was common practice for the customs agents to let some cargo (very often Madeira) “slip through” customs without notice. However, in 1768, when John Hancock’s ship, the Liberty, arrived in Boston Harbor filled with eagerly-awaited Madeira wine…agents showed no leniency and the entire shipment was subject to a rather high tax. The people, deprived of their cheap, strong wine set forth a revolt, which led to another, which led to another, and eventually led to the Boston Tea Party. Along the way, Madeira became a symbol of rebellion.

Madeira, delicious and deliciously symbolic, began to be served at key moments in American history. In 1776, George Washington toasted the signing of the Declaration of Independence with Madeira. Later, in 1789, Madeira was used to toast the inauguration of George Washington and in 1792, Thomas Jefferson made a Madeira toast when he declared that Washington DC would be the capitol city of the new nation. A few centuries later, Barack Obama toasted his inauguration as President of the United States with Madeira, paying homage to generations of statesmen before him.

Truth be told, I have a bottle of Madeira ready in the fridge. This Fourth of July, after the Schramsberg and the fireworks, we’ll clink our glasses to commemorate the 250^th birthday of the United States of America.

George Washington, I think, would be proud—we’ll be toasting with Madeira.

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of San Marcos, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net