Research

Of course we couldn't go to Madeira and not try the local wine, in the photo above we're doing a tour around Blandy's which is an old English Madeira lodge founded in 1811 by a young chap from Dorset called John Blandy and has remained in the same family ever since. The wine is fortified to around 20% ABV and allowed to slowly oxidise in barrels over a number of years, it comes in dry, medium and sweet versions dictated by the type of grapes used. It's a delicious drink and ages well gaining complexity and layers over time, the oldest wine we drank was twenty years old but still tasted as fresh as a daisy. In the world of fortified wines and my opinions I'd say that Madeira sits somewhere in between Sherry and Port, I like it more than Sherry but it's not quite as good as Port in my view, clearly more research is needed!