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Madeira Wine Books Compared: Mayson, Liddell & Cossart

Choose a first wine reference, compare editions, or explore the merchant histories. See where Mayson, Liddell and Cossart overlap before adding a second book.

Selection guidance updated

Cover of Madeira: The Islands and Their Wines

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Choose your main Madeira wine reference

Start with the question you want answered. These three books cover some of the same ground, but their dates, perspectives and historical material differ.

Cover of Madeira: The Islands and Their Wines

Madeira: The Islands and Their Wines

Richard Mayson

English · 2022 edition

Which one book will help me understand what I am tasting?

Best for: A first substantial reference to Madeira wine.

Connects island history and geography with vineyards and winemaking, then introduces producers and shippers. More than 400 tasting notes give examples of the wines discussed.

Edition compared: English paperback, second edition, 2022.

Consider: Producer profiles and tasting notes describe their publication period. Consult current producer information for later releases.

Adding a second book: Cossart adds a merchant’s historical account and archival material. Compare contents before adding Liddell: both Mayson and Liddell cover wine history, production and producers.

Sources: Académie du Vin: second edition and contents ↗

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Cover of Madeira: The Mid-Atlantic Wine

Madeira: The Mid-Atlantic Wine

Alex Liddell

English · 2014 edition

Which book offers another detailed account of Madeira wine’s development?

Best for: A reader studying wine history or comparing authors’ accounts.

Moves from the wine’s history into grape growing, production and producers, with appendices and a glossary for further reference.

Edition compared: English hardback, revised edition, 2014; ISBN 9781849044530.

Consider: Hurst also lists a paperback under ISBN 9781849043342. Commercial details in this 2014 revision need checking against current producer information.

Adding a second book: Adds another author’s treatment when you want to study the subject further. For a first reference, choose between Liddell and Mayson before buying two books with overlapping coverage.

Sources: Hurst: revised edition overview and paperback ISBN ↗; Publisher-authorised contents preview ↗; Oxford 2014 distributor catalogue: hardback ISBN, page 1 ↗

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Cover of Madeira: The Island Vineyard

Madeira: The Island Vineyard

Noël Cossart, Emanuel Berk

English · 2011 edition

Which book helps me explore historic shippers, vintages and collections?

Best for: A reader interested in the wine trade and older Madeira wines.

Combines Cossart’s trade experience with accounts of historic shippers, collections and tastings. The expanded edition adds a biography, auction records and correspondence.

Edition compared: English expanded second edition, 2011, retaining Cossart’s original 1984 text.

Consider: The 2011 date belongs to the expanded edition; the original account remains unchanged. Its historical auction records do not establish current bottle values.

Adding a second book: Complements Mayson or Liddell when merchant history and older wines are your main interest. It is an optional historical companion for an introductory shelf.

Sources: Rare Wine Co.: original text and additions to the second edition ↗

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Further reading: family histories and older accounts

These titles add different perspectives to a wine shelf. Check the publication period and choose a subject that your main reference leaves you wanting to explore.

Madeira Wine

The Wines of Madeira

Trevor Elliott

English · 2010 edition

A practical guide by WSET Diploma holder and Madeira specialist Trevor Elliott, the result of years of research: the grapes, the producers (with profiles), tasting notes and food-pairing suggestions.

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Cover of The Blandys of Madeira

History & Culture

The Blandys of Madeira

Marcus Binney

English · 2011 edition

Marcus Binney’s bicentenary history of the Blandy family, the English merchant dynasty that became Madeira’s leading wine shippers (and owners of Reid’s Palace) while expanding into banking, shipping and more. Richly illustrated.

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Madeira Wine

Madeira: Wine, Cakes & Sauce

André L. Simon, Elizabeth Craig

English · 1933 edition

A short classic by the great wine writer André Simon with Elizabeth Craig, pairing essays on Madeira wine with recipes for Madeira cake, sauces and dishes that use the wine — an early bridge between Madeira wine and gastronomy. Available secondhand.

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The editor’s guide

One wine reference first, then fill a specific gap

For a first substantial reference, compare Mayson and Liddell before buying both. Each covers history, production and producers, so a second purchase is most useful when you want another author’s account. Mayson’s listed 2022 second edition is the newer of the two editions compared here and includes more than 400 tasting notes. Those notes help illustrate a style or producer; they cannot describe every later release.

Cossart serves a different purpose when the merchant trade and older wines are your main interest. The expanded 2011 edition retains the original 1984 text and adds archival material. The newer date does not make the original account current, and historical auction results are records of past sales. For a narrower family story, the Blandy history is another possible companion.

Match the offer to the edition you want. Our Liddell entry identifies the 2014 hardback, ISBN 9781849044530; the publisher also lists a paperback under a different ISBN. Compare format, contents and condition before ordering an older title. Elliott and Simon broaden the shelf with earlier accounts, but their commercial details should be read in their publication context.

Before you choose

  • Choose an overview, a second author’s account, or a merchant history before adding books.
  • Distinguish the date of an expanded edition from the date of its original text.
  • Match the ISBN and format; check current producer information for later releases.

Reference: Mayson’s second edition ↗, Liddell’s revised edition ↗, Cossart’s expanded edition ↗

These comparisons use the titles’ stated scope and edition details. They are selection guidance, not claims that we have personally tested every book.