Doing a Madeira Wine Tour should be on your list of activities to do when visiting the island. It’s not only about tasting local flavours but also about learning about the island’s rich culture one glass at a time. Keep reading for tips on where and how to plan a wine-tasting tour in Madeira.
Planning a trip to Madeira? Check out these posts!
What is Madeira Wine?
Madeira Wine (often simply referred to as “Madeira“) is a fortified wine produced on the island of Madeira since the end of the 15th century. Back then, during the “Age of Exploration”, grape spirit was added to the wine in order to prevent it from spoiling. The process has slightly changed and adapted over time, and varies depending on the type of grapes, but the principles are still the same.
Today, Madeira wine’s distinctive taste comes from the heating and ageing process. In one of these processes, for example, the must is heated at 45º for 3 months and then is left to cool down. It’s also exposed to oxygen, something winemakers in the world try to avoid at any cost. Unlike regular wine, the alcohol in Madeira wine is thanks to the spirit (96º), which is added to stop the fermentation. This step also keeps the sugars in the wine, giving it its sweet taste.
How can such a process work for Madeira wine? Winemakers pick Madeira grapes much earlier than the typical harvest dates. This means that grape juice has much higher acidity than other wines. On top of that, the ageing process helps to preserve the wine, making Madeira Wine one of the few wines to cellar for a hundred years or more. You can even find bottles from 1860 in some shops!!
Madeira Wine barrels are usually old. Old barrels work best because they don’t change the taste of the wine, and they also let air in. Madeira Wine is kept in these wooden barrels for at least 5 years, and up to 40! Another difference with regular wine is that barrels are intentionally kept in hot, sun-exposed metal warehouses. This is something winemakers around the world tend to avoid, but producers in Madeira need this hot temperature as it helps the wine to develop its characteristics.
When the wine is ready, it’s bottled and it keeps evolving in its new container for the following years. Once bottled, Madeira wine stays drinkable virtually forever. When you open the bottle, it will last up to 1 year without spoiling.
While it’s also possible to find low-quality blends, there are 4 main varieties of Madeira: Sercial, Verdelho, Boal and Malmsey.
| Sercial | Verdelho | Boal | Malmsey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brightest style often served as an aperitif | Smokier, slightly more concentrated and richer than Sercial. Its dryness makes it one of the most flexible Madeira styles for pairing with foods. | Sweet Madeira, it shows incredible complexity and aromatic lift. It pairs well with desserts. | Richest and sweetest version, good to be paired with rich chocolate desserts, ice cream, and cheese |
Furthermore, Madeira wine is available in different levels of sweetness: seco (dry), meio seco (medium dry), meio doce (medium sweet), and doce (sweet).
💡 Did you know? Madeira is also known for its rum production! Check out Engenho do Norte in Porto da Cruz
Who produces Madeira Wine?
There are just 7 companies that produce the world-renowned Madeira wine! While vineyards are owned by many, many small producers, there are only 7 Madeira Wine brands that collect the grapes and produce Madeira wine.
‣ Blandy’s: this is one of the largest and most popular producers of Madeira wine. Their wine cellars can be visited in the centre of Funchal. The official website of Blandy’s showcases its products and its history, while this other website offers tours and wine-tasting experiences.
‣ Pereira D’Oliveira: another historical brand of Madeira wine, also located in the centre of Funchal. D’Oliveira has been run by the same family for over 5 generations and it offers wine tasting in Funchal. Check out their website here.
‣ Justino’s: located in Caniço, between Funchal and the airport, Justino’s is one of the oldest Madeira wine producers on the island. Check out their website here.
‣ Henriques & Henriques: you will find this company’s cellar in Câmara de Lobos, while their production and bottling facilities are located near Cabo Girão, the highest sea cliff in Europe. It’s one of the best-reviewed in Madeira for wine tasting, and it has been producing Madeira wine since 1850. Read more on their website.
‣ H. M. Borges: founded in 1877 by Henriques Menezes Borges, this Madeira wine company is located in Funchal. Make sure to visit it if you’re in Madeira’s capital city and you’re looking for something different than Blandy’s. Visit their website for more information.
‣ Vinhos Barbeito: it’s one of the youngest companies in Madeira, but what a surprise it was! Their building is located on the hills above Câmara de Lobos, and they offer both wine lodges tours and wine tasting. Check out their website for updated info.
‣ J. Faria & Filhos: The youngest of Madeira wine producers, it is based between Funchal and Câmara de Lobos.
What to expect at a Madeira Wine Tour?
Madeira Wine Tours are a great way to learn more about Madeira’s most popular product. Not only is “Madeira” a wine, but it is a piece of history.
Tours differ quite a bit depending on the producers. Winemakers in Funchal get hundreds of tourists every day, so the experience might be rushed and feel more touristy. Other producers located outside of Madeira’s capital city may be more challenging to reach, but the final experience will definitely feel more authentic.
On a generic Madeira Wine lodges tour you can learn about the different techniques and processes that lead to the production of a bottle of Madeira Wine. Meanwhile, in the wine-tasting room, you will taste the differences between different grapes and different years.
If you’re not an expert you’ll be surprised by how different older wines are compared to the younger ones. It’s an experience we’d recommend to everyone visiting the island of Madeira.
Madeira Wine Tour in Funchal
• Blandy’s
This is the main option for those interested in doing a wine tour experience in Funchal. Wine lodges tours start at 11€ per person for their basic option, and reach €22.90 EUR for a more advanced and in-depth type of visit.
Visits last 45 minutes to 1 hour. A wine tasting of 2 samples is included with both visits.
Opening Hours: Blandy’s wine cellars are open for visits every day from Monday to Saturday. Due to its high popularity, booking is recommended.
For those who are only interested in a wine tasting at Blandy’s (without visiting the wine lodges), check these options! They have all sorts of wine-tasting experiences, and no booking is required!
• H. M. Borges
Located in Funchal, H. M. Borges offers wine lodges tours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Their website doesn’t report this information, so make sure to keep that in mind if you plan a visit. Wine tasting is possible every day during opening hours, and they charge a small fee for each glass.
On a side note, even though H. M. Borges is located in Funchal, their building sits far from the cruise terminal. This means most tourists don’t make it here, and the final experience isn’t rushed and you can enjoy both the wines and the tour.
Opening Hours: 9am – 12pm and 2pm – 5:30pm (Monday to Friday)
• D’Oliveiras
D’Oliveiras doesn’t offer wine lodges tours, but their building in Funchal is open every day – except Sundays – for a free tasting!
Opening Hours: 9.30 am – 6 pm (Monday to Friday) | 9:30 am 1 pm (Saturday)
Other Madeira Wine Tours in Madeira
• Vinhos Barbeitos
Vinhos Barbeitos’s secluded location makes it a perfect place for those seeking a non-touristy type of experience. Vinhos Barbeitos offers both wine lodges tours and wine tasting, near Estreito de Câmara de Lobos. Their basic option is free and includes a tour + 2 wines. Their middle option costs 10€ and you will taste 5 wines up to 20 years old. With their most exclusive type of tasting, you pay €20 EUR to taste 8 wines up to 40 years old. This is great value for money if you think that just one 20-year-old bottle costs up to €200 EUR. Pre-booking is required. Find more information here: Wine Tasting @ Barbeitos.
• Henriques & Henriques
Henriques & Henriques offers free wine tasting in their building in Câmara do Lobos. The wine tasting includes 4 different wines of their most recent harvest, while there is a moderate fee if you fancy trying some vintage bottles.
• Justino’s
Justino’s is based in Caniço, between Funchal and the airport of Madeira. There isn’t much information available about their wine lodges tours available, but you can visit their company during their opening hours.
Opening Hours: 9 am-12.30 and 2 pm – 6 pm (Monday to Friday)
Here is a map of all the Madeira wine producers on the island. Cheers!