Madeira Wine Premium Tour

Purchased in the mid-19th century by Charles Ridpath Blandy in the mid-19th century, the Canteiro lodge proved not only to be extremely valuable property, but also directly connected to the family’s townhouse.

Each one of the rooms in the lodge has its own character and due to the differing temperatures and humidity, the wines all have differing ageing profiles based on their location. The eastern warehouse holds wine dating back to 1920 and the family’s private vintage collection is held within thick stone walls, below the ground floor. The museum holds intriguing artefacts including letters from Sir. Winston Churchill, coins from Blandy’s bank and the island’s oldest wooden lagar, dating back to the 17th century.

Murals from the renowned German artist, Max Römer, illustrate the traditional Madeiran harvest in the main tasting room where a wide range of the company’s wines are kept. The Vintage room is the cathedral of Blandy’s rarest and oldest Madeira wines, where wines dating from the beginning of the 20th century can be tasted, such as Blandy’s Bual 1920.

Today the Blandy’s Wine Lodge is the heart of the family’s wine business where over 650 barrels and vats are stored, ageing the finest of the family’s wines in the traditional canteiro method. This experience will give you the opportunity to explore 200 years of Madeira wine. Available from Monday to Saturday, the tours visit the various areas of the lodge, finishing with a tasting.

• This best-seller group tour of our wine lodge, covers essential information about Madeira wine, the history of the company, barrel making at the cooperage, wine storage in Brasilian satinwood vats, grape varieties and their transformation into wine. The tour includes access to the family museum with unique items from the history of Madeira island, followed by a tasting of 2 samples of Madeira wine.
• Cooperage
• “Canteiro” Ageing Rooms
• Vine to Wine Exposition
• Satinwood Vats
• Museum
• Tasting