Chefs the world over have added a touch of Madeira wine as the crowning ingredient in diverse dishes ranging from mushroom soup and oyster soup to roast turkey gravy and roast prime rib with Madeira sauce and horseradish sauce to pound cake with Madeira macerated Clementines. And so, Madeira is commonly associated with the inexpensive, thin and sweet but otherwise nondescript wines used in cooking. It was not always so for Madeira. Since 1419, the Portuguese have governed the small volcanic island in the Atlantic Ocean, 400 miles off the coast of North Africa. "It is a shame nowadays Madeira is known only as a cooking wine for sauces with mushrooms and truffles," says chef Toni Pais, a Portuguese native and owner of Baum Vivant, Café Zinho and Café Zao. "Before phylloxera destroyed the island's original vines ... Madeira wines were known as some of the world's greatest wines. I hope the quality comes back." British wine writer Michael Broadbent in his book "Vintage Wine: Fifty years of Tasting Three Centuries of Wines" (Harcourt, 2002, $50) identifies old Madeira as the one wine he would want if stranded on a dessert island. His book contains tasting notes on hundreds of wines with vintages dating to the 1790s and throughout the 1800s. The key to this incredible longevity is found in the unusual process for making the wines. First the wines are fortified with brandy similar to tawny port wines. Consequently Madeira in its various styles was popular throughout the British colonial empire since the wines held up well through long, hot sea voyages. In fact, heating the wines in holds of ships crossing through the intense temperatures at the equator became another part of the aging process to create the distinctive caramelized, slightly oxidized aromas of classic Madeira. Eventually the island's firms began heating wines on racks under the beams in the lofts of their warehouse lodges. The same process continues today along with another artificial heating process. In both cases, the temperatures soar beyond 100 degrees. In the mid-1800s, more than 70 British firms doing business on Madeira shipped nearly 2 million gallons -- more than 800,000 cases -- each year. By the end of the century, however, phylloxera, the microscopic mite that attacked and devastated vine stocks throughout the globe, virtually wiped out the original plantings in Madeira. Eventually, Thomas Slapp Leacock, a local grape grower, identified the key to fighting the pest by grafting vines onto phylloxera resistant American rootstocks. Even with Leacock's breakthrough discovery, most of Madeira's high quality vines had already been replaced with indifferent hybrids and the lesser quality vitis vinifera, Tinto Negra Mole. In addition, a renaissance was further impaired by the onset of the Prohibition in America, Madeira's traditional leading market. Tremendous consolidation took place in the Madeira industry so that today the Madeira Wine Company controls well over half the exports. Much of the wine is still destined for France to be used in sauce madère . But more recently, glimmers of hope have reemerged with investment in 1989 in the Madeira Wine Compnay by the Symington family from the Port trade. The Madeira Wine Company still produces single variety Madeira wines from Sercial, Verdelho, Bual, and Malmsey under some of the most famous names, including Blandy's, Cossart Gordon and Leacock's. The winemaking facility saw substantial reinvestment in 2001/2002 to create a state-of-the-art operation meeting European Community certification standards, but the firm is also careful in respecting Madeira's great traditions such using the classic, more time consuming canteiros heating process for the premium brands. The following wines are excellent with the foods indicated: Blandy's 5 Year Old Sercial Madeira (Available nationally at $21): This is the lightest and driest Madeira style. The wine has a clear light toffee color offering aromas of honey and caramel with light floral hints leading into tangy citrus flavors with honey and caramel accents. The wine has lovely balance with zesty acidity through a medium dry finish with butterscotch highlights. Enjoy this style slightly chilled as an aperitif with tapas such as sardines, anchovies, salted nuts, and olives. Highly Recommended. Blandy's 10 Year Old Malmsey Madeira (Special Liquor Order 59485, $41.79): This marvelous, mellow wine has a lovely clear tawny brown color with wonderful aromas of caramel and toffee leading to rich, luscious flavors of honey, caramel and orange zest balanced with fine, zesty acidity through a big, lush, long lasting off-dry finish. Try the wine as a dessert treat with blue veined cheeses. Highly Recommended. Best Buy 2003 Château Mas Neuf Costières de Nîmes, France (Special Liquor Order 62031, $13.49, Minimum Order of six bottles): This classic southern Mediterranean red blend of 45 percent Syrah, 45 percent Cinsault, and 10 percent Grenache has dark purple color and deep aromas of plums with nuances of smoked meats and lavender opening to flavors of plums and smoky accents balanced with great acidity and firm tannins. This is a great summertime wine with grilled steaks. Recommended. Additional Information:

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