Editing Madeira wine (section)

===The noble varieties===
The four major styles of Madeira are synonymous with the names of the four best-known white grapes used to produce the wine. Ranging from the sweetest style to the driest style, the Madeira types are:
* ''Malvasia'' (also known as ''Malvazia'' or ''Malmsey'') has its fermentation halted when its sugars are between 3.5 and 6.5° Baumé (63-117 g/L). This style of wine is characterised by its dark colour, rich texture, and coffee-[[caramel (aroma)|caramel]] flavours. Like other Madeiras made from noble grape varieties, the Malvasia grape used in Malmsey production has naturally high levels of [[acids (wine)|acidity in the wine]], which balances with the high sugar levels so the wines do not taste cloyingly sweet.
* ''Bual'' (also called ''Boal'', or ''Malvasia Candida'') has its fermentation halted when its sugars are between 2.5 and 3.5° Baumé (45-63 g/L). This style of wine is characterized by its dark colour, medium-rich texture, and [[raisin]] flavours.
* ''Verdelho'' has its fermentation halted a little earlier than Sercial, when its sugars are between 1.5 and 2.5° Baumé (27-45 g/L). This style of wine is characterized by smokey notes and high acidity.
* ''Sercial'' is nearly fermented completely dry, with very little residual sugar (0.5 to 1.5° on the [[Baumé scale]], or 9-27 g/L). This style of wine is characterised by high-toned colours, almond flavours, and high [[acidity]].
A fifth noble grape, ''Terrantez'', almost became extinct on the island but has been making a comeback.  Its style ranges in sweetness from that of Verdelho to that of Bual, never being quite as dry as Sercial nor quite as sweet as Malvasia.