What to do and see in Madeira, Madeira Islands: The Best Wineries & Vineyards

Vinhos Barbeito entered the wine business in 1946, during a particularly dark time for Madeira. During World War II, production and sales had ground to a virtual halt. As a result, far more companies were leaving the business than were joining. But Mario Barbeito had faith in the future. He also believed that the value of great Madeira could only go up as it became older and production of young vintages declined. But while Barbeito saw those vintage wines as a nest egg for the future, he was content to let the wines age. He wisely built the business in the early years around more modest Madeiras. It was left to his daughter Manuela - when she gradually took over the business from him in the 1970s to continue his work. In the mid 1990s, Manuela Barbeito began to turn over the reins of the company to her son Ricardo Freitas. He not only brought a deep respect for Madeira's classical roots, but also brought new energy and new ideas to the company. One of these ideas was to restore the role that Madeira once had as a companion of food. Ricardo is continuing his grandfather's and mother's legacy of making wines and preserving them for future generations. But he is also creating his own legacy: a series of Madeiras he calls his "Signature" wines. These handcrafted wines combine the best elements of Madeira's classical tradition with Ricardo's own quest for purity and vineyard and varietal expression. Made in tiny lots, their astonishingly graceful style has prompted British wine critic Jancis Robinson to call Barbeito the "Lafite of Madeira".

Acquired in 1840 by Charles Ridpath Blandy, the Blandy's Wine Lodge has always been and is still an integral part of the production of Blandy's Madeira Wine. Located in the center of Funchal, Blandy's Wine Lodge allows visitors to Madeira an opportunity to experience first hand Madeira Wine in the making. Our tours will guide you through some of the history of the wine, its development and evolution, as well as the opportunity to taste the various styles of Madeira. Blandy's Madeira celebrated its bicentennial in 2011, the Blandy Wine Lodges give you a privileged perspective on 200 years of Madeira Wine. The lodge was bought by Charles Ridpath in the mid-19th century and not only was it an extremely valuable property, but was also very useful due to the fact that it was directly connected to the family's town house. Each one of the Lodge's rooms have their own character and due to the differing temperatures and humidity, the wines all have differing ageing profiles based on their location within the lodge. 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 artefacts that include 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 Romer decorate the tasting room and references from the company's wide range of vintage wines are held in the sala frasqueira. Today the Lodge is the heart of the family's wine business where over 650 casks, tonnels and vats are stored, ageing the finest of the family's wines in the traditional canteiro method.