Palest and the driest of the classical madeira varieties, Sercial is known as ‘Esgano Cão’—‘dog strangler’—on the Portuguese mainland, a nod to its fiery, mouth-puckering acidity. At its best, racy and high-toned, it is a wine of exquisite tension: Sercial shows dry despite containing 20-60 g/l RS; its sweetness balanced by an exhilarating, mouthwatering tang of acidity. Pungent with dried orange, almonds and saline spices in youth, Sercial mellows in maturity: acidity less taut but no less integral; its deep nuttiness to the fore. There are currently just 16-ha found on the island.