FORTIFIED wines such as port, Madeira and Marsala are truly from another era. These rich and fiery wines date from a maritime age when wines were shipped from their places of origin to northern European markets primarily by ship.

To survive the brutal sea passage, the wines were fortified with grape brandy or other spirit which allowed them to be conserved and transported by sea without spoilage.

The port wine trade came about when Britain signed the Methuen Treaty, which allowed for a favourable exchange of English woollens for port wine. Many of the famous port lodges were founded in the early 18th century when the treaty was signed.

Madeira, an island in the Atlantic off the African coast, was a strategic port of call for ships bound either to South America, South Africa or around the Cape to India and Asia. Ships would call here to replenish supplies, including the local wine. However, since the wines sometimes had to cross the Equator twice, they were often literally cooked.

Fortification with a spirit made from cane sugar ensured that though ‘maderized’, the wines did not spoil and remained highly pleasant to drink. Marsala is another historic fortified wine. It comes from western Sicily and was originally created in the 18th century not for local taste but primarily as a wine for that would appeal to export markets such as England.

Today fortified wines may seem out of favour. But at this cold time of year, a warming glass in the afternoon (why not?) is always welcome. Ranging from bone dry to richly sweet and complex, these historic wines are among the most fascinating wines.

Churchill’s Finest Reserve Port (£14.99 from Darts Farm www.dartsfarm.co.uk 01392 878200)

Port comes in a bewildering array of styles and types, from vintage wines that are laid down for ageing in the bottle for decades to wood-aged tawny ports. This full and fiery reserve wine has some of the rich and plummy fruit and complexity of a vintage port yet it doesn’t need decanting.

Vito Curatolo Arini Marsala Superiore Dolce (£10.99 from Whistle Wines www.whistlewines.co.uk 01392 421363)

Marsala is a much-maligned wine, often considered useful only for cooking pot. In fact, the real thing can be most satisfying, a traditional, oxidized fortified wine that has a light, dried fruit sweetness, beautiful to sip with cheese and biscuits or a plate of toasted almonds by the fire.

Madeira Barbeito Malmsey Malvasia Reserva (£12.95 50cl from Topsham Wines www.topshamwines.co.uk 01392 874501)

George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, had the misfortune to drown in a butt of it, according to Shakespeare, so perhaps Malmsey really is a wine to die for.

This example is not too sweet and has a nicely sharp edge of acidity that keeps it from cloying.

Marc Millon is a wine and food writer and a wine consultant. Marc organises tastings, wine dinners and trips to the wine country through his company, Vino. For details, email marc@vino.co.uk