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You might have noticed that some of the pictures are online now. About half of the total pictures is still missing, but we're working on it. The report on the Seattle Madeira wine tasting and the tasting notes are online now. Please mail in any typos, corrections, whatever - thanks.
...and the pictures are going to follow soon, please be patient. You are welcome to mail in all typos and corrections - thanks.
The company of Vinhos Justino Henriques, Filhos, Lda. was founded in 1870. In 1981, Sigfredo da Costa Campos bought the company from the owners of the Companhia Vinicola da Madeira and later bought the stocks of the Companhia as well. Associated are also East India Madeira Co. Lda., Uniao Vinicola (Funchal) Lda. and Monteiro Vinhos. Today the company is owned by Sigfredo da Costas Campos and the French La Martiniquaise company which also does the import for the French market.
View of the lodge in Cancela.
The company is one of the largest producers of Madeira wine, expanding considerably in the last years. After producing for a long time in the downtown of Funchal in the Rua do Carmo 86, the company moved to new grounds in 1994 to a huge site in the Cancela Industrial Park near Canico. Everything from winemaking to packing, as well as the laboratory and the tasting room; it is all done on this site. In 2003, the company was planning on expanding to yet another large building.
Grape reception facilities.
The grapes come from 700 to 800 producers, mainly from the Sao Vicente and Camara de Lobos area. The average of just 3000 kg of grapes per producer shows how small the vineyards on the island really are. Payment in 2003 was about 1 € per kg, depending on the sugar content of the grapes. The grapes are transported in boxes of 50 kg coming from the south side or containers of 1000 kg coming from the north of the island. After pressing the grapes undergo a short maceration of a few hours. The total storage capacity is 650.000 hectolitres in wood and 4.500.000 hectolitres in inox-steel. All the blends and colheitas undergo estufagem, being heated to 45-50° Celsius for three months. Of course, the vintage wines are treated by the Canteiro method.
Casks in the VJH lodge.
The company also participates in the EU Poseima program. Justino still exports a little bulk wine, even though these exports were officially stopped in 2001. To prevent it from being bottled as Madeira wine, they add salt and pepper to it. By doing this, they make sure this wine is only used to make Sauce Madere for the French market. The most important export markets are France, the United States, Russia, Poland, Skandinavia, Mexico and Brasil. The company also matures the wines for the Broadbent Selection range of Madeiras.
View of the bottling line.
Even though everything looks quite modern and high-tech, the style of winemaking is quite traditional. As Juan Teixeira, the winemaker, puts it: “The secret to making a good Madeira wine is having good grapes to start with and then a good old cask - then you just sit and wait!” I have only limited experience with their vintage wines and colheitas, but I like the 10 YO sweet blend (made from Tinta Negra Mole) very much, being rather complex, rounded and sweet, with a nice aftertaste of burnt coffee. Also the old Terrantez Reserva is very good, being about 50 years old. There are still some old vintage wines from the Companhia Vinicola around at auctions, going back to the 1795 Terrantez.
Packing of the bottles for export.
Address: Vinhos Justino Henriques, Filhos, Lda. Parque Industrial Cancela, P-9125-042 Canico (You can take the bus number 39 to the Industrial Parque, the terminus is just across the entrance to the wine company), Tel 00351-291-934257, Fax 00351-291-934049. Lisbon office: Tva. da Conceicao da Gloria 7-6°, 1200 Lisboa – Portugal, Tel 00351-21-3460901, Fax 00351-21-3471801.
Email: justino@justinosmadeira.com
Website: http://www.justinosmadeira.com
View of the tasting room.
The company of Vinhos Barbeito was founded in 1948 by Mario Barbeito. After his death his daughter Dona Manuela de Freitas and her two sons Miguel and Ricardo took over. In 1991 Barbeito sold 50 % of the company to the Kinoshita Shoji Company Ltd., a Japanese company trading in beverages. Ricardo today is the winemaker of Vinhos Barbeito and loves experimentation, as a lot of interesting (and well-tasting) developments show, like blends from different grape varieties, single cask wines, single vineyard wines and so on. Also Vinhos Barbeito produces the Rare Wine Company's Historic Series of Madeiras. This series offers Boston Bual Special Reserve, New York Malmsey Special Reserve, and Charleston Sercial Special Reserve. Also in Spring 2007 a limited bottling of New Orleans Special Reserve Terrantez has been released.
Barbeito sign.
Today Vinhos Barbeito is one of the largest producers of Madeira wine on the island. Barbeito does not own any vineyards, but purchases grapes from their producers, mainly from Sao Vicente and Camara de Lobos and Estreito de Camara de Lobos. The wine is made in Estreito de Camara de Lobos, all the other work is done in the lodge at the Estrada Monumental. This building was once a sugar mill but today houses the storing vats, the laboratory, the bottling line and the tasting room as well as the office. Some potential vintage wines are maturing in Barreiros. The others are maturing in the lodge. The company participates in the POSEIMA programm of the EU.
View of the Barbeito lodge.
The most important export market by far is Japan, followed by Taiwan. Also Great Britain, the United States, and some other European countries are important export countries.
Vinhos Barbeito offers the classic range of blends, but the real treasure is the stock of old vintage wines. Probably the most famous wine is -or better was- the Terrantez 1795. Please refer to the chapter about “The 1795 Vintages” for more information about this wine. A lot of other old vintages, some dating from before 1900, are still available. In the tasting room you will find a changing display of old vintage wines. Vinhos Barbeito also acquired some of the Oscar Acciaioli wines when this company went out of business. The wines already bottled were sold under the Acciaioli label, the wine in cask was sold under Barbeitos name. Personally, I like the Oscar/Barbeito 1839 Verdelho the best. Also the Malmseys of 1834, 1875 and 1900 are very good as well as the 1863 Bual.
Steel tanks seen at Barbeito’s.
Old casks at Barbeito’s.
Big storing casks at Barbeito’s.
Diogo’s Wine and Spirit Shop is another outlet for Vinhos Barbeitos. The shop also houses the Columbus museum in the basement. The books and other items connected to Christopher Columbus were collected by the founder of the company, Mario Barbeito.
Address: Vinhos Barbeito (Madeira) Lda., Estrada Monumental 145, P-9000 Funchal, right besides the famous Reid's hotel, left to Banco Espirito Santo, Tel 00351-291-762434, Fax 00351-291-765832. Storing facility: Torre, Camara de Lobos, Tel 00351-291-942094.
Email: barbeitomadeira@mail.telepac.pt
Website: http://www.vinhosbarbeito.com
View of the bottling line.
The tasting room at Barbeito’s.
The company of Pereira D’Oliveira (Vinhos), Lda. was founded in 1850 by Joao Pereira d’Oliveira. He started as a partidista who produced wines to later sell them to other shippers. From around the mid 1970ies on the company started to market wine under its own label, but continued to sell wines to other companies, like the MWC. For example part of the famous 1908 Bual was sold to the MWC and so today this wine is offered under the Cossart Gordon label as well. Other wines sold to the MWC include the 1882 Verdelho, 1900 Moscatel and 1910 Malvasia . Also the company has been successful in aquiring wines from other producers, especially with taking over the complete remaining stock of the Adegas de Torreao. The 1927 Bastardo and the 1958 Boal are just two brilliant examples of what is going to hit the market, once the Adegas old treasures will be released. Associated are Joao Joaquim Camacho and Augusto Cunha; from both companies very few bottles made it into the 21st century.
Pereira D’Oliveira (Vinhos), Lda. today is a small size family company that is still run by the descendents of the founders family. The current annual production of wine is 1.500 hectolitres; the winemaking is done in Sao Martinho. The company owns some vineyards but most of the grapes are bought from selected farmers. Part of the ageing wine is also stored in the Rua dos Ferreiros where the company has its lodge with sales room and office. Immediately to the right you can find the company of Artur de Barros e Sousa, Lda, another producer of madeira wine.
Entrance to the D’Oliveira lodge.
View of the tasting room.
Their most important export markets are the European countries, Canada and the United States. All the blends (3, 5, 10 and 15 year old) from d’Oliveiras are mainly made from Tinta Negra Mole and all undergo estufagem. The company is famous for its old vintages. Not only is the quality of these of a very high standard, they also seem to exist in large volumes. For decades now, d’Oliveiras has offered an unparalleled variety of old vintage wines dating back to the 1850 Verdelho. Tasting of the vintage wines and the blended wines is free in their tasting and sales room in the Rua dos Ferreiros. Personally I like the 1900 Moscatel vintage best: very fine Moscatel flavor, concentrated, sweet and fruity and has a very, very long lasting flavor. Also the 1850 Verdelho and the 1908 Boal are outstanding and offer excellent value. Of the new vintages I like the 1968 Boal best; it has also won a gold medal in 2002. Certainly a key to the overall high quality of the D#Oliveira wines is the fact, that they stay in wood. Bottling is done according to the demand of the market, so their wines still keep improving.
Old casks at D’Oliveiras.
Bottles awaiting export.
Pereira D’Oliveira (Vinhos), Lda. will send wine by mail, they can fax you their shipping rates before, which I find very reasonable. Please keep in mind though that the shipment of Alcohol is not allowed to some destinations.
Address: Address: Pereira D’Oliveira (Vinhos), Lda., Rua dos Ferreiros 107, P-9000-082 Funchal, Tel 00351-291-220784/228558, Fax 00351-291-229081. Adega Tel 00351-291-228622.
Email: perolivinhos@hotmail.com
Vintage wines for sale at D’Oliveiras.
The Madeira Wine Institute or Instituto do Vinho da Madeira is the regulatory body for the making of Madeira wine. Its name changed to IVBAM - Instituto do Vinho, do Bordado e do Artesanato da Madeira offically, but most people still call it the IVM.
Address: Rua 5 de Outobro 78, P-9000 Funchal, or PO Box: 9000-079 Funchal, Tel 00351-291-204600, Fax 00351-291-228685. Open Mon – Fri: 9.30am – 12.30pm and 2pm – 5pm.
Alternative address: Rua Visconde de Anadia, 44, PO Box: 9050-020 Funchal, Tel 00351-291-223141, Fax 00351-291-224791.
Email-address: ivbam.sra@gov-madeira.pt
Website at http://www.sra.pt/ivm/default.asp
IVM sign.
View of the IVM building from the backyard.
The Instituto does not offer any blends or vintage wines but makes some wine in its own laboratories that is given away for special events or charities. The museum is very interesting, lots of old photographs, lots of information to soak up for the Madeira wine enthusiast.
Founded in 1980, the IVM awards the paper seal on each bottle of island bottled wine. The IVM relieved the Junta Nacional do Vinho. The JNV wax seal of authenticity is described in the chapter about old bottles. The IVM paper seal bears the complete coat of arms of the island or just the cross in the older seals.
Different IVM paper seals.
Entrance to the museum of the IVM.
Wine press in the IVM museum.
The Madeira Wine Company was formed in 1913 as an association of exporters who decided to join efforts to increase their efficiency on exportations. It was during the 20’s that most of the British shippers joined the company and on total 26 companies joined this association. The early name was the Madeira Wine Association and 1981 was changed to Madeira Wine Company. Being a corporation since 1987, the company today belongs to the Blandy family and the producers of premium ports, the Symington family.
The four main brands today are Blandy’s, Cossart Gordon, Leacock and Miles. Blandy’s and Cossart Gordon are the two premium brands. These names were originally the names of 4 wine producing families, however only the Blandy family are still involved in the company. The brand Blandy’s is one of the most popular and widely-sold Madeira wines worldwide.
The Madeira Wine Company today is one of the biggest producers on the island, with approximately 35% of the local Madeira market and with a high share of the bottled market worldwide, especially on the higher categories of wines.
The Company does not own any vineyards but buys grapes from selected farmers. The grapes come from different locations on the island. For example Bual comes mainly from Calheta, Malvasia from Sao Jorge and Tinta Negra Mole from Camara de Lobos and S. Vicente. The grapes are all processed at the company winery at Mercês, and the company has during the vintage a collecting depot on the north coast to deal with their grape purchases in S. Vicente and Porto Moniz. The grapes arrive in single plastic boxes to prevent early fermentation. After pressing, the classical varieties undergo maceration for a maximum of 12 hours or none at all. The wine is then fermented in stainless steel at controlled temperatures. Only the three year old wines will undergo estufagem, all the other wines are matured by the traditional canteiro method. Some of the canteiro casks are located above the estufagem tanks to benefit from the heat. The MWC makes its own casks and until recently, it was possible to see this at their visitor centre, “The Old Blandy Wine Lodge”. Presently the cooperage is located on the Mercês winery; however, visitors taking the guided tour can still see the cooper’s tools.
The wines are stored in both lodges, Merces and “The Old Blandy Wine Lodge”. The total storage capacity is of approximately 5.000.000 litres. The Merces lodge also houses the laboratory, tasting room, quality control, bottling and packing facilities. The São Francisco lodge, nowadays also called “The Old Blandy Wine Lodge”, is more of tourist interest, and is also a very important storage area for the wines aged on the canteiro method. You will find tasting rooms for vintages and blends, shops and also the new “Arcadas de São Francisco” shopping centre right behind the lodge.
It is amazing that even though the wines are made by the same company, the four different brands are far from being of a uniform taste. The wine maker Francisci Albequerque has been able to keep an individial style for each of the brands. Blandy wines are always a little richer and heavier, Cossart wines are more fruity and elegant, Leacock wines always appear to me as sweeter than the other brands and Miles represents a somewhat lighter style.
In the last ten years the MWC has clearly been a driving force behind the rejuvenation of the image of Madeira wine. New styles like Colheita, Harvest and Alvada (see chapter on types of wine) have stirred much publicity and caused a positive response from the market, especially from new and younger wine drinkers. The most important export markets are the U.K., U. S., Belgium, Japan, Switzerland and other countries.
Today, many of the MWC famous old vintages and soleras are only found on auctions or in shops specializing in old Madeira wine. In 2003 the only really old wines where the Cossart Gordon 1908 Bual; very concentrated, lots of caramel, coffee, ashes and very, very long finish, and two soleras from 1860 and 1870. It is no secret that some of the older wines, like the 1882 Verdelho, the 1900 Moscatel, the 1908 Boal and the 1910 Malvasia were bought from other companies, especially D'Oliveiras in the mid 1980ies. This was (and still is) common practice amongst the different producers. In fact most producers offer some wines that they did not produce themselves but bought from other producers or stockholders called partidistas. Some of the MWC's younger vintages are very promising and well worth tasting. Also I find the Centennial Blend, a unique limited edition blend of the four main varieties, very interesting. This blend is limited to 3500 bottles only and was edited for the year 2000 celebrations. The Colheitas offer some individuality but are lighter than the frasqueira vintages. The latest innovations also include single-vineyard wines. Of course you can find the full range of blends from the MWC. Personally I like the 10 YO Cossart wines best, especially the Bual, also the 10 YO Miles Malmsey is a favourite of mine, sweet, complex and fruity but never cloying. The MWC will sell wines by mail order to private consumers, please see below for an email-address.
Address: Madeira Wine Company S. A., The Old Blandy Wine Lodge (Adegas São Francisco), Departamento de Relações Publicas, Avenida Arriaga 28, P-9000-064 Funchal, Tel 00351-291-740110, Fax 00351-291-740111. Merces Lodge, Rua dos Ferreiros 191, left to the Adegas de Torreao. P-9000-082 Funchal, Tel 00351-291-740100, Fax 00351-291-740101.
Email address for mail order: directsales@madeirawinecompany.com
Website: http://www.madeirawinecompany.com
Also websites for the four remaining brands exist:
Blandy's http://www.blandys.com
Cossart Gordon http://www.cossartgordon.com
Leacock's http://www.leacockmadeira.com
Miles http://www.symington.com/miles/index.html
The Old Blandy's Winelodge has its own website with exact opening hours at http://www.symington.com/winelodge/index.htm
Merces Pictures:
View of the Merces Lodge.
Grapes arrive at Merces (shown with the friendly permission of Maik Göbel).
Maceration tanks at Merces.
Estufa at Merces.
Huge storing casks at Merces.
View of the bottling line.
The Merces laboratory.
The tasting room at Merces.
Bottles waiting to be tasted...
Old Blandy’s Wine Lodge Pictures:
Entrance to the MWC.
MWC signs.
Big satinwood casks in the Old Blandy Lodge.
MWC casks with maturing vintage wine.
Max Romer tasting room.
Passage way.
Vintage tasting room.
The MWC’s private collection.
The company of Henriques & Henriques Vinhos S. A. was founded in 1850 by Joao Joachim Henriques. Associated are: Belem’s Madeira Wine Lda. (founded 1932), Carmo Vinhos Lda. (founded 1928), Casa dos Vinhos da Madeira Lda. (founded 1932) which bottles the Madeira wine for Sandeman and Antonio Eduardo Henriques Sucrs. Lda. (founded 1960). Most of these brands are still used today.
View of the Belem lodge up the road.
H & H is one of the largest producers of Madeira wine on the island. Today the company is run by John Cossart whose father Peter Cossart (the brother of Noel Cossart who wrote "The island vineyard") entered the firm in 1938. The winemaker for more than a decade is Luis Pereira who has been awarded "Winemaker of the year" and prefers a classic rich and weighty style. Contrary to most other Madeira wine producing companies H&H owns some vineyards. In 1995 they even established a new vineyard at Quinta Grande at the size of 10 hectares (25 acres) which is accessible to machines. Also they built a new adega in Quinta Grande so that the company can work with state of the art equipment. All the vinification and estufagem is done here. The wines then mature down in the Belem lodge. West from the center of Camara de Lobos (Largo Republica) you go up the road a few minutes. The big building with the southern glass front is the main office with tasting rooms, bottling line and other facilities.
The great glass front lets in the sun’s heat: the typical armazem do sol.
Entrance to the Belem lodge.
Their most important export markets besides the European countries (Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden and Germany) are the U. S. and Canada. H & H’s blended wines from the 5 year old up to the 15 year old are made from the traditional varieties, the 3 year old from Tinta Negra Mole.
Bottling line in the basement of the Belem lodge.
Some excellent 20th Century wines are being offered but the most glorious wines are certainly four old vintage wines that are called “the heavenly quartet”. This quartet consists of the Grand Old Boal (bottled in 1927), Reserva Malvasia (bottled in 1964), Reserva Sercial (bottled in 1965) and the W.S. Boal (bottled in 1927). These four wines bear no specific vintage date, but they were considered “old wines” in 1850. Alex Lidell and other Madeira wine critics regard them as textbook examples of Madeira wine. Personally I like the W.S. Boal best, a fantastic, multi-layered and very complex wine. Due to their very limited stock they are rather expensive. Unfortunately it is no longer possible to taste wines of the "heavenly quartet" in Camara de Lobos. By the way: these old wines are recorked on a regular basis. H & H is one of the few producers to do this. They even mark the dates of recorking on the bottle! Also on the backlabel is a note in Portuguese, recommending storage of Madeira wines in a vertical position.
Casks seen in the Belem lodge (shown with the friendly permission of Maik Göbel).
The “heavenly quartet” (shown with the friendly permission of Maik Göbel).
In my opinion, the 15 year old blends, as well as the 10 YO, are a very good value. Especially when you look for some Madeira wine you can drink more often than once in a lifetime. Some old soleras and vintages can also be found in shops and auctions.
Address: Caminho Grande e Preces, Sitio de Belém, P-9300 Câmara de Lobos, Tel 00351-291-941551 or 941552, Fax 00351-291-941590. An adega is located in Ribeira do Escrivao, Quinta Grande, Tel 00351-291-942203.
Email marketing@henriquesehenriques.pt
Website at http://www.henriquesehenriques.pt
The company of H. M. Borges, Sucrs. Lda. was founded in 1877. Associated are Adega Exportadora de Vinhos da Madeira, J. H. Goncalvez & Ca., Borges Madeira Lda. and Araújo, Henriques & Ca. Some of these brands are still used today.
H. M. Borges, Sucrs. Lda. today is a small to medium size family company that is still run by the descendents (forth generation) of the founder Henrique Menezes Borges. The current annual production of wine is 2.500 hectolitres, the total storage capacity is 120.000 hectoliters. As with most of the other producers, the company does not own any vineyards, but purchases the grapes from selected farmers in the areas of Estreito de Camara de Lobos, Campanario and Sao Jorge. Pressing, vinification, estufagem and maturing; it is all done in the one building in the Rua de Janeiro 83. The old building used to be a flour mill, but today contains all the winemaking facilities as well as the bottling line, the tasting room, the laboratory and the office.
HMB sign.
Their most important export markets are Japan, the United States and the countries of the European Community. You can still find the old numbering system of the three year old blends (1, 2, 3) that dates back to the wartime exports to Brazil. The 10 and 15 year old blends are made from the traditional varieties, the 3 and 5 year old wines are made from Tinta Negra Mole. Also, all the wines from Tinta undergo estufagem.
The lodge of H. M. Borges in the Rua 31 de Janeiro.
H. M. Borges, Sucrs. Lda. is famous for its old vintage wines, but unfortunately most of these wines have been sold out some years ago. They do however offer a few modern vintage wines, as well as a sweet solera from 1940 that I find very attractive. This solera originally belonged to Veiga Franca but was later sold to the Borges company. Also they have a range of Colheita wines. The company does not sell wines by mail order.
The tasting room at HMB.
Big storing casks at HMB.
The company would suggest a 5 year old dry or medium dry blend for a beginner with Madeira wine. In my opinion the dry wines of Borges are all rather low in acidity, so even those who do not like the dry Madeira styles so much should give them a try. Borges also plans on extending the colheita style without compromising the vintage wines.
Address: H. M. Borges, Sucrs. Lda., Rua 31 de Janeiro 83, PO Box 92, P-9050-011 Funchal, Tel 00351-291-223247, Fax 00351-291-222281, open monday to friday 9.00 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. and 2.00 pm - 5.30 p.m.
Email: hmborges@mail.telepac.pt. or info@hmborges.com
Website at http://www.hmborges.com
View of the bottling line.
Packing of the bottles for export.
The company of Artur de Barros e Sousa, Lda., was founded in 1921. No other brands or companies are associated. The company is today owned by the Olim brothers, Artur and Edmundo, descendants of the company’s founder (fourth generation).
ABSL is the smallest of the Madeira wine producing companies on the island. The current annual production of wine is about 8.000 to 10.000 litres; the total storage capacity is 85.000 to 90.000 litres. Please keep in mind that we are talking litres here, not hectolitres (a hectolitre is 100 litres). As with most of the other producers, the Olim brothers do not own any vineyards on Madeira island, but purchase the grapes from selected farmers in the areas of Jardim da Serra (Sercial), Campanario (Malvasia and Boal) and Sao Vicente (Verdelho). ABSL do own some Listrao Branco vineyards on Porto Santo and they offer a Listrao blend of about 5 years of age. Vinification, maturing and bottling; it is all done in the lodge in the Rua dos Ferreiros 109.
The inconspicuous entrance to ABSL.
The lodge has changed but little in the 80 years that it is now used for winemaking. In the IVM museum you will find a historic picture (Nr. 38, Armazém, Artur de Barros e Sousa) that shows the inner yard of ABSL, just looking like today. Artur or Edmundo Olim will be happy to guide you into the three-storey lodge. The smell of the old casks is simply overwhelming. Every time I go there, I feel like a time traveler who goes back a hundred years. In their office you will find an old General Electric radio made in Brazil during World War II, no fax machine and probably the oldest telephone to be found on the island. (OK, I saw Edmundo using a cell-phone, but that was his wife calling him home for lunch!)
View of the tasting room (View the old Brazil-made radio in the window!).
Their most important market is Funchal, they mainly sell their wine to the people that enter the lodge. The Olim brothers do not really export wine, but if you are a long time customer and order wine by mail, they will probably send it to you. None of the wines undergo estufagem. In fact ABSL takes much pride in being the only company to mature all their wines by the traditional canteiro method.
ABSL’s vintage of 2003.
Old casks at the ABSL lodge.
ABSL’s old vintage wines have been sold out some years ago. They do however offer a few modern vintage wines, as well as some old reserve wines that do not bear a specific date. Edmundo will tell you “…this one is about 60 years old, my father made it…” Personally I liked their Moscatel old reserve best, but their younger vintages and colheitas are also very good. The Bastardo Old Reserve and the Terrantez 1979 Vintage are also very interesting. I admit I simply like their old-fashioned way of wine making. I also like the two brothers because you can feel that their heart is into Madeira wine, Artur, who is the wine maker and Edmundo who is the guide, salesman and not to forget the entertainer!
Address: Artur de Barros e Sousa, Lda., Rua dos Ferreiros 109, P-9000-082 Funchal, Tel 00351-291-220 622, Email: a_b_s_lda@yahoo.com.br or absl@netmadeira.com
Website at http://www.vinhosmadeira.com
Some of ABSL’s old wines.
This chapter is about how to pack old bottles for shipment. One might think that this is an easy thing to do. But, unfortunately, I have received bottles that were packed so badly that they hardly survived - or didn't survive at all. Also a good packing job can reduce the damage if a bottle starts leaking during transport. So the following chapter shows how to pack old bottles for shipment in a secure way. So far none of the bottles packed in this way were broken, even old free-blown bottles survived transatlantic transport.
Securing Of The Bottle Neck
Especially with old bottles that wear a wax cover, it is essential to protect the bottle against leakage during transport. Also these wax covers are very easily broken, so you have to take extra care of them. The same goes for straw covers. I use cellophane to wrap the bottle neck with a few layers. Wrap it in a way that about the half of the cellophane juts out at the top. Then you twist this end a few times and tape it to the bottle neck. Another piece of tape goes around the bottle neck.
After that the whole bottle is put into a plastic bag. This bag is either sealed with a foil-sealer (the kind you use for refrigerator bags) or you seal it with a tight knot. Try to get all the air out of the bag before sealing it. This bag will protect the bottle and its labels from humidity during the transport and also might keep the liquids of a broken or leaking bottle inside to prevent them from affecting any other bottles in the package.
The following pictures show you how to do this:
Wrapping a bottle 1
Wrapping a bottle 2
Wrapping a bottle 3
Packing The Bottle
After putting the bottle into a plastic bag, you might want to wrap it in some layers of bubble-wrap. This depends on how well the bottle fits into the bottle safe. The bottle should not be able to move around inside the bottle safe, but you must not pack it too tightly to avoid putting too much pressure on the bottle.
Bottle and bubble-wrap (note that the wrapping & the bag are missing!)
The bottle is put into a bottle safe i.e. a Styrofoam or cardboard container to transport a bottle. This item usually comes with an additional outer cardboard box.
Bottle safe
Two or more bottle safes are taped together in the most compact way, so they will splint each other.
Taped bottle safes
The bottle safes are again wrapped in a few layers of bubble-wrap which is secured with tape.
Safes in bubble-wrap
Finally the package is wrapped in tough packing paper and some tape or cord is wound around the package. This should do the job for even the roughest transport.
Complete package
(PS: The perfect package shown here was packed by Garrafeira Nacional - good job, guys!)
This walk features all the important wine locations of downtown Funchal. This means that Silva Vinhos, Henriques & Henriques and Justino Henriques are not in the walk, since they are located outside the city. The walk can be done in both directions and requires about 90 minutes pure walking time, tasting and sightseeing not included. Take a backpack with you to transport the wine, that you will inevitably buy on this walk. You start at the market hall. All city busses stop two roads to the south, so it should be easy to get to the market, even when your hotel is outside Funchal.
Azulejo in the market hall.
Inside the market you will find lots of fruit, fish and wine.
Fruit vendors in the market hall.
At least once you have to go inside before 11 o’clock to get into the atmosphere of the market. Take a look at the fish market in the back part of the market hall too. Especially the espada fish and the big slices of tuna are very impressive.
Espadas seen at the fish market.
Standing in front of the Mercado, we cross the Rua Brigadeiro Oudinot and the Rua do Visconde do Anadia, which frame a small river the Riba de Joao Gomes. Then we walk up the hill on the western side of the Rua do Visconde do Anadia, passing the Anadia Shopping Center. With number 33 you can find the white building of Patricio & Gouveia Sucrs, where embroidery is produced. In the cellar you can also taste Madeira wine (of course!), and buy porcelain and azulejos. In 2003 the company also offered (after some talking about Madeira wine) a thirty year old wine from the family of the owners, said to be matured in the huge casks that can be found in the basement of the building. These bottles do not bear any IVM seal. I wonder if the IVM knows about this…
Patricio & Gouveia Sucrs.
We continue up the hill and turn left into the Rua do Carmo that takes a downhill turn. After a few seconds you will see a site with the number 86 on the left side. A shabby house used to be here were Vinhos Justino Henriques Filhos used to produce Madeira wine, before they moved the entire company to the industrial park Cancela close to Canico. It's easy to imagine how bad conditions must have been here. The house had been demolished and a new building was being constructed in 2005/2006.
Old building of Vinhos Justino Henriques in the Rua do Carmo.
The Rua do Carmo continues downhill and meets the Rua Dr. Ferao Ornelas and then the Rua 31 de Janeiro at right angles. Together with the Rua 5 de Outobro another small river, Riba de Santa Luzia, is framed by these two streets. We turn right and walk up the hill again on the Rua 31 de Janeiro. Across the river we can see a castle-like building, the Instituto do Vinho da Madeira.
Instituto do Vinho da Madeira.
Just before the next junction you will find the building of H. M. Borges Sucrs. on the right side. In this old mill the wine processing, the maturation the bottling, labeling and export is done. In the tasting room you can sip from the blends and buy them. If you are interested in old vintages or soleras you will have to ask for them. Even when it is very hot outside, the room inside is refreshingly cool and you can catch your breath here for a few minutes.
H. M. Borges.
Next stop is the Instituto do Vinho da Madeira, that we saw on our way up. We cross the river and walk the Rua 5 de Outobro down just a short distance, where we find the entrance to the Instituto. In the building you can find the museum with an interesting display of old photographs about Madeira wine. Sometimes they even have wine to taste. Some companies use the storing capacities of the Instituto when their own are used up.
View down the Ribera de Santa Luzia with the Instituto do Vinho da Madeira in the right and H. M. Borges in the left.
Up the hill again on the Rua 5 de Outobro, crossing the Rua de Bom Jesus until the next bridge over the river. Turn left and you can see the building of the Adegas de Torreao across the street. In autumn 2003 the building was closed. After the owner Vasco Lojas had died, none of the descendants wanted to take over the business. So in 2006 D'Oliveiras bought the remaining stock of old Madeira wines, amongst them the 1927 Bastardo wine.
Adegas do Torreao.
Left to the Adegas you can see the entry to the Merces-Lodge of the Madeira wine Company, easy to read on the big brass plate. The MWC stores some of its wines here that couldn't find a place in the Sao Francisco Lodges.
MWC’s Merces Lodge.
We turn and enter the Rua dos Ferreiros, leading down the hill, parallel to the Rua 5 de Outobro that we walked up just a few minutes ago. First we pass the house number 188, located on the left side. This is the old building of the Companhia Vinicola da Madeira. In 2003 only the front wall had remained, the back of the property being used as a parking lot. We then pass the house number 115, located on the right side. This is where the shop of Casa dos Vinhos, associated with Henriques & Henriques used to be, before the company moved to Camara de lobos.
Old building of the Companhia Vinicola.
Downhill you will find Artur de Barros e Sousa and Pereira D'Oliveira. Visit Barros e Sousa first, not because this company is better, but because you will experience a kind of time travel by doing so. Walking though the door bearing the number 109 you enter the past of Madeira wine production. To the right you see the inner courtyard with its vines and the three-story building where the wines are matured. Artur or Edmundo Olim will give you a sightseeing tour you are unlikely to forget. Everything is done by hand here, and the smell from the old casks is overwhelming and makes you thirsty for a tasting and buying. After that you will be glad for the shade of the vines in the inner courtyard.
Entrance to Artur de Barros e Sousa .
Just one building to the left Pereira D'Oliveira is located. Here you find the modern face of Madeira wine with a huge tasting room where you can also buy blends and vintages. Pereira D'Oliveira and Barros e Sousa also send wine by mail.
D’Oliveiras.
We continue down the Rua dos Ferreiros, until reaching the Praca do Municipio with its black and white cobblestones.
Praca do Municipio.
We turn right and follow the Rua C. Pestana. The third Road to the left is the Avenida Zarco. We walk down this road and meat the Avenida Arriaga at cross angles where we turn right again. In the middle of the Avenida you can find many benches where you can sit in the shade, if the traffic is not too heavy.
Avenida Arriaga.
A few steps on, you will find the tourist information on the right side. The entry to the old Blandy wine lodge is next. Enter and ascend the stairs and you find yourself in the heart of the Madeira Wine Company. To the right there is a shop where you can buy souvenirs, to the left you reach another inner courtyard with the Max Romer tasting room and the Frasqueira vintage room. Further on to the right you will find the Arcadas de Sao Francisco with may shops. Twice a day you can join a very interesting sightseeing tour through the building. In the tasting room there is free tasting of the blends, in the vintage room you can taste old vintages against a fee and buy them. Walking back to the Avenida Arriaga again, you will find another shop just left to the entry when standing in front of the building.
Entrance to the Old Blandy Winelodge.
The tourists with stamina can keep on walking the Avenida in western direction to the Parque de Cristovao Colombo. The street is now called Avenida do Infante, and if you keep on walking it changes names again into the Estrada Monumental.
Vinhos Barbeito.
Follow this road and after 15 minutes you will reach Vinhos Barbeito on the left side, just after you passed the famous Reid's hotel. The low building with the huge chimney hosts the estufas, bottling lines and tasting rooms as well as the sales department. If the walk back seems to long, have a break at the Reid's for the five o'clock tea. Be advised though, that you will not be allowed on the terrace with blue jeans.
Entrance to the Reid’s Hotel.
At the western end of the Avenida there is a traffic cycle. To the hill you will find Diogo's Wineshop in the house with the number 48. The shop is an outlet for Vinhos Barbeito but is also well assorted in other wines such as Port wine. The shop also contains the Museu Cristovao Colombo and a private book collection about Madeira wine. We walk back the Avenida on the southern side, the one closer to the harbor and turn right at the first corner into the Rua do Conselheiro Jose Silvestre Ribeiro, leading down to the Avenida do Mar.
Casa do Turista.
On the left side, just at the corner to the Avenida do Mar you will find the Casa do Turista, house number 2. This shop is not only a shop, but also a museum. You can look at and buy embroidery, porcelain, wicker works and wine, bottled by Justino Henriques Vinhos. Sometimes they even have old vintage Madeiras from private island sources for sale.
Palacio de Sao Lorenco.
Down at the Avenida do Mar there are many bus stops in front of the Palacio de Sao Lourenco with busses in all major directions. You can also take a walk on the shore back to the Mercado where we started the walk. In the Mercado there is another wineshop called Garrafeira. If you prefer a rest, just buy a few sweet chestnuts or a Bolo de Caco with garlic butter or sit down in one of the cafes. This is where our walk ends.
Chestnut roaster at Funchal harbour.
...and made some progress. We re-edited the following chapters:
Many pictures are still missing, but we are doing our best to get them in soon.
Also we posted some new chapters:
In these new chapters the pictures are missing too, but if things go well we will post them this weekend!
Any comments are highly appreciated, so please feel welcome to mail in any typos and corrections - thanks!
On the island of Madeira there are two types of companies: producers and shippers. Producers make Madeira wine and sell it, shippers just trade the wine. Most of the producers have their seat in Funchal, most of the shippers are located in London. Many international companies that have a Madeira wine in their range of products order one of the original producers to bottle a wine under the company’s name, Sandeman as an example. And there is a third type of company in the wine business, the so-called partidistas, similar to the almacenistas of the Sherry-business. They store and mature wine, but they do not sell the wine directly to the market but to other traders. The following list is in alphabetical order and lists everything that you might find on a bottle or a label besides the grape variety and the year of vintage. A list of known Madeira vintages follows in one of the later chapters; the grape varieties are described in detail a few pages up. 3YO means three years old. The availability of vintages changes daily so I did not list the vintages for sale.
Not every name will appear in this list. Some landowners bottled wine under their initials, sometimes adding the village or the vineyard. AO-SM as an example means Annibal Oliveira, vineyard owner in Sao Martinho. Especially older vintages used to be traded in cask and were only bottled in their country of destination. The wines were then named after the ship (many famous ship names are included in this list) that transported them, or the trader’s newborn child or whatever. In the US this custom was very common. People named their Madeira wines after anything, wives, lovers, weddings, horse races or horses and the color of the cask. Many of these names you will not find in the list. Also you have to remember that, due to their private character, wines with such an exotic name were always small in number of bottles.
COMPANIES, SHIPPER, IMPORT BRANDS AND MORE
ABSL
See Artur de Barros e Sousa.
Abudarham, Vinhos Viúva & Filhos Lda. (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1934, probably went out of trade in 1980.
Acciaioly, Oskar
Last member of the Acciaioly family from Florence, Italy, that came to the island in the 16th century. Acciaioly used to export a lot of wine to Russia until 1916; he also exported wine into the Scandinavian countries until the late 1970’s. A lot of the remaining wines were sold in 1989 by Christie’s. Also Barbeito acquired some of the Acciaioly wines and sold the bottled wines with the original label. The wines in cask were later sold under the Barbeito label.
Adegas Exportadora de Vinhos da Madeira Lda. (Borges)
Brand of H. M. Borges for 3YO, traded by: Pofuturo, Sociedade Commercial de Bebidas Lda., Sitio do Pico do Cardo, Santo Antonio, P-9000 Funchal. Old address of Adega Exportadora: Rua das Avores 83, Funchal.
Adelaide
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Agatha
19th century ship carrying Madeira wine on the India route.
D'Aguiar, Joao Carlos & Co (also sometimes: & Cia)
The bottles are sometimes marked with the letters JCA & Co. Company founded by descendants of Diogo Alfonso d'Aguiar. Several bottles known from the 18th and the early 19th century, all bottles where filled before the 1940ies. Whether the company merged with Freitas to form Aguiar Freitas & Ca Lda is not known. According to Patrick Grubb, the d'Aguiar family owns some excellent vineyards around the district of Prazeyres, producing still fine sercial and verdelho.
Aguiar Freitas & Ca Sucrs. Lda. (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1936, probably went out of trade in 1980.
Anderson
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Savannah.
AO
See Acciaioly, Oskar.
AO-SM
Initials of Anibal D'Oliveira, vineyard owner in Sao Martinho, one of the owners of Pereira d’Oliveira, some old vintages from the 19th and early 20th century still exist. See Pereira d’Oliveira.
Aspinwall
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century New York.
Averys
A long established wine trader in Bristol, Great Britain since 1793. Used to bottle Madeira wines under their own label and imported wines by Cossart Gordon. Averys initiated a first small Madeira renaissance with a large sale of high class vintages in 1956. Today, Averys still trades some wines by D'Oliveiras, but no vintages anymore.
Address: Averys, Orchard House, Southfield Road, Nailsea, Bristol BS48 1JN, Great Britain, Tel: 01275-811-100, Fax: 01275-811-101.
Barbeito
See Vinhos Barbeito (Madeira) Lda.
Barros, Almeida & Co (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1936, probably went out of trade in 1980.
de Barros e Sousa Lda., Artur (ABSL)
See chapter about this company here.
Bates & Schoonmaker Inc.
Former US importer for T. T. da Camara Lomelino. Address was: 17 East 42nd Street, New York City.
Bethune
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Bianchi, Carlo de
Famous 19th century collector of Madeira wines. He inherited the Lomelino Company after the death of Tarquinio Torquato da Camara Lomelino. C de B are the initials on bottles from his private stock.
Bianchi's Madeira Lda. (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1953, probably went out of trade in 1980.
Blandy's Madeiras Lda. (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, founded in 1811, joined in 1934, the premium brand of the MWC, see MWC for address and details.
Offer: Finest 3Y, Reserve 5Y, Dukes-series 5Y, Special Reserve 10Y, soleras, vintages.
Borges Sucrs. Lda., H. M.
See chapter about this company here.
Borges Madeira Lda.
Company absorbed in H. M. Borges Sucrs. Lda. I was not able to find out whether the label is still used today.
Bradley
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century New York.
Bramin
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Broadbent Selections Inc.
Please see the chapter about this company here
Buchanan
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century New York.
Butler
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Philadelphia.
C de B
See Bianchi, Carlo de.
Cadwaladar
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Philadelphia.
Camacho, Joao Joaquim
Associated with Pereira d’Oliveira, see there.
Camara de Lobos
Village at the south coast, made famous by Sir Winston Churchill. Centre of the winegrowing region there. The mentioning of Camara de Lobos usually indicates a medium-sweet bual-type of wine.
Carter
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Virginia.
Casa dos Vinhos da Madeira (H&H)
Brand of Henriques & Henriques, still used today.
Old address: Rua dos Ferreiros 125, P-9001 Funchal, Tel 00351-291-236767.
Catherine Banks
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
CG
See Cossart Gordon.
Chairman
Medium dry blend, brand of Chairmans, London, for the European market. Importer for Germany: Max Burkhardt, Hamburg.
Challenger
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Charming Martha
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Charming Nancy
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Charming Polly
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Chrisholm
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Savannah.
Clauzel, A.
French importer of Madeira wine.
Coffin
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century New York.
Comet
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Constitution
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Companhia Regional de Esportacao de Vinhos da Madeira Lda.
Company taken over by Vinhos Justino Henriques Filhos Lda. So far I have only seen one old bottle, bearing a faded label from the beginning of the 20th century and a Boal vintage from 1860. Even though the CEHA states that the label is still used today, I have not been able to verify this.
Companhia Vinicola da Madeira
Old address: Rua dos Ferreiros 188, P-9001 Funchal. There is a Terrantez vintage of 1795, some other old vintages and some three year old blends. Associated with Justino Henriques Filhos, see there.
Cossart Gordon Lda. (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, founded in 1745, joined in 1953, see MWC for address and details.
Offer: Good Company series, Finest 3Y, Reserve 5Y, Special Reserve 10Y, Duo Centenary series 15Y, soleras, vintages.
Cunha, E. A. (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, out of trade.
Cunha, J. A.
See Pereira D'Oliveira.
CVM
Initials of the Companhia Vinicola da Madeira.
De Renne
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Savannah.
DL
See Lynch, Dominic.
Donaldson Vinhos & Cia (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1934, probably went out of trade in 1980, but is still used in Japan.
East India Madeira Co. Lda.
Associated with Justino Henriques, see there.
EBH
Initials of Eugenia Bianchi Henriques, granddaughter of Carlo de Bianchi. See also Bianchi, Carlo de.
Earthquake
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Espinheiro Madeira
Medium dry blend, imported for the German market by J. Buxtorf, Wichelhausen & Co, Bremen.
Fairlie, Captain David
One of the descendants of the original owners of the Torre Bella estate. Also a well known collector of Madeira wines who had married into the Blandy family. The collection was auctioned off in 1988 by Christie's. Also see Torre Bella.
Faja dos Padres
Once the best-known vineyard on the island, situated on sea-level west of the Cabo Girao, the third highest cliff in the world with a height of 580 meters/1900 feet, even though most travel guides will tell you it is the second highest in the world. The highest can be found in eastern Taiwan, being 760 meters/2500 feet high, the second highest is the Preikestolen ("Preacher's stool") in the Lysefjord east of Stavanger, Norway with 600 meters/2000 feet. Until the end of the 19th century the best and most famous Malvasia wines were grown at the Faja dos Padres. Today the new owner of the Faja has replanted some vines, but there is only little wine production so far. However I have seen casks with "Malvasia candida 98/99" on it so I guess there is some hope for the future. You will also find a restaurant, swimming pool and accommodation. There is a new cable car to the Faja (“Teleferico”) going down from Sitio da Rancho, the price was about 8 Euros in 2007 for a round trip. Also at Artur de Barros e Sousa they have a maturing cask with the word "Faja" on it, so they must have been able to obtain some wine from grapes grown at the Faja. Please take a look at the special chapter about a tour to the Faja in the guide to Madeira island here.
Fame
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Faria J. & Filhos Lda.
Address: Rua dos Maravilhas 25CC/25D, P-9000 Funchal, Tel 00351-291-742935, Fax 00351-291-742255.
Offer: 3YO, 5YO, fruit liquors, Aguadente de Cana.
Favourite
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Fearing
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century New York.
Fernandes, Manuel Eugenio
Said to produce wine by the Canteiro-method. Address and offer unknown, you can find a 3YO in Funchal.
Ferraz, F. F. & Co (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, founded in 1915, joined in 1937, went out of trade in 1988.
Filipe Vinhos Lda., Antonio
Company absorbed into Henriques & Henriques Vinhos SA.
Fitzhugh
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Virginia.
Flagman
Medium dry blend, import brand of Eggers & Franke, Bremen, for the German market. Traded by Flagmans Ltd, London.
Franca & Chagas
Little wine from this company survived into the 21st century. The Franca family descended from Andre de Franca. His son Joao built the church at Estreito de Calheta in the Camara de Lobos district.
Freitas, A. de
So far I have only seen one miniature of this company. Whether this was the starting cell of Freitas Martins Caldeira & Cia Lda I do not know.
Freitas Branco
Old company which no longer exists. Some bottles known to exist from the 19th century.
Freitas Martins Caldeira & Cia Lda (MWC)
According to the CEHA, this company was taken over by Henriques & Henriques Vinhos SA in 1960, but this I doubt. According to all other sources, especially Alex Liddell and the MWC itself, this company joined the MWC in 1960. The former name was Martins, Caldeira & Cia Lda, the company was then reconstituted under the new name.
Freitas & Irmao
Sometimes just Freitas Irmao. The connection to Freitas Branco or Aguiar Freitas is not known. Some wines from the 19th century.
Funchal Wine Co. (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, probably went out of trade in 1980.
Gadsden
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Charlestown.
Gaselee, Sir Stephen
Famous collector of Madeira wines in the 1940ies.
Gebhard
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century New York.
Gibbs & Co (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, founded 1857, went out of trade.
Godard
German filler of half-dry Madeira miniatures with the name Camara de Lobos. Former address: Godard GmbH, Neuss/Rhein.
Goelet, P. P.
U. S. importer and/or collector of Madeira wines in the 19th century, the family also owns Clos du Val in the Napa valley in California and Taltarni in Australia. The large collection seems to have been sold off since some of the bottles surfaced since 2000, though I could not find out where or when. Many of their bottles contain wines that were shipped in cask across the equator, so these bottles bear the ships names like “Brig Twin”, “Francis”, “Juno”, “Rebel” or “Southern Cross”.
Gomez, Luiz (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, founded in 1868, joined in 1953, probably went out of trade in 1988.
Gonsalves, A. Izidro
Nothing known about this producer, except a "seco" vintage from 1890, bottled in Funchal. The name on the bottle is written Gonsalves, instead being written Goncalves like in the other companies bearing that name.
Goncalves, C. R.
Company taken over by Vinhos Justino Henriques Filhos Lda. According to the CEHA, the label is still used today.
Goncalves, H. R.
Company taken over by Vinhos Justino Henriques Filhos Lda. According to the CEHA, the label is still used today.
Gonçalves, J. H. (Borges)
Brand of H. M. Borges for 3YO, according to the CEHA still used today, distributed by Manuel da Silva Peixoto & Co Lda., 30 Cam. Areeiro, Sao Martinho, P-9000-243 Funchal, Tel 00351-291-772381.
Gonçalves Lda., P. E.
Address: Jesus Maria José, 36 Cam. Bela Vista, P-9300-027 Camara de Lobos, Tel 00351-291-942813, Fax 00351-291-941510. Or: Jesus M. Jose, P-9300 Camara de Lobos, Tel 00351-291-941551.
Probably associated with J. Faria & Filhos, offer not known.
Gordon
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Savannah.
Grabham, Dr. Michael & Walther
Father and son; the father married into the Blandy family and collected Madeira wines.
Griswold
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century New York.
Habersham, William Neyle
Eccentric merchant in Savannah, Georgia, born 1817. He was famous for the strange treatment of his Madeira wines and is said to be the inventor of rainwater Madeira. His huge Madeira wine collection was sold in 1900.
Henriques & Henriques Vinhos S.A. = H&H
See chapter about this company here.
HH
See Henriques & Henriques Vinhos.
HMB
See Borges, H. M.
Howland
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century New York.
Huger
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Charlestown.
Hurricane
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Instituto do Vinho da Madeira
See Madeira Wine Institute.
IVBAM
Instituto do Vinho, do Bordado e do Artesanato da Madeira, the new name of the IVM, the Instituto do Vinho da Madeira. Please see at Madeira Wine Institute.
IVM
See Madeira Wine Institute.
Jackson
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Savannah.
JCA & Co
See D'Aguiar, Joao Carlos & Co
JNV
See Junta Nacional do Vinho.
JRT
See Teixeira, J. R.
Juno
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Junta Nacional do Vinho
The JNV was founded in 1937. From 1940 on it controlled the production of Madeira wine in Funchal. The JNV awarded the JNV paper seal that was put over the cork of every bottle of Madeira wine bottled on the island. The first paper seals where just paper stripes with a small printed seal on it, later becoming a unique shape that was copied in the IVM seal. The IVM relieved the JNV in 1980. The JNV wax seal is described in the chapter about old bottles. Different JNV paper seals do exist, some with a small blue JNV sign, some with a complete coat of arms, later copied in the IVM paper seal.
Justino Henriques
See Vinhos Justino Henriques Filhos.
JVS
See Silva, Joao Vicente da
Kassab, B. A.
Braheem (or Brahim) A. Kassab; a syrian merchant who collected Madeira Wines at the beginning of the 20th century. His bottles were marked with the seal BAK. A description and picture of the seal can be found in the chapter about old bottles.
Kopke, C. N.
Founded in 1638, Kopke is the oldest existing Port wine company, situated in Vila Nova de Gaia. Kopke exported at least a three year old blend through a branch in Funchal. German importer and filler was Cinzano & Cia in Frankfurt/Main.
Kraus Bros. & Co
Former US importer for Welsh Brothers. Address was: 18-22 West Street, New York.
Krohn Brothers Lda. (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1951, probably went out of trade in 1980.
Laurens
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Charlestown.
Leacock & Co (MWC)
Brand of the Madeira Wine Company, founded in 1760, joined in 1934, address and details see MWC.
Offer: St. John 3YO, Rainwater, Finest 3Y, Reserve 5Y, Special Reserve 10Y, soleras, vintages.
Lenox
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century New York.
Liberty
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Lloyd-O'Donnell-Tilghman
Famous American collection of Madeira wines.
Lomelino, Tarquinio Torquato da Camara (MWC)
Brand of the Madeira Wine Company, founded in 1820, Portuguese at first then English and joined the MWC in 1936, went out of trade in 1988, but is still used in Belgium.
Lynch, Dominic = DL
Madeira wine collecting wine merchant in 19th century New York.
Madeira Meneres, Sociedade dos Vinhos (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1936, went out of trade in 1980.
Madeira Victoria & Co (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1936, went out of trade in 1980, but is still used in Holland.
Madeira Wine Association = MWA
See Madeira Wine Company.
Madeira Wine Company S.A. = MWC
See chapter about this company here.
Madeira Wine Institute (Instituto do Vinho da Madeira, IVM)
See chapter about the Institute here.
Madère de L'Ile
Blend for the French market imported by A. Clauzel. By the way: note how the label says “Espana y Portugal”, indicating that the wine traded here comes from Spain and Portugal. Also the language on the label is Spanish (like “Vinos” instead of “Vinhos”) which means that this wine comes from Spain. So this is another example of forged Madeira wine.
Margade
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Martin
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century New York.
Martins F., Caldeira & Co. (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1960, went out of trade in 1988.
Mary Elisabeth
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
MEF
See Fernandes, Manuel Eugenio
Mentor
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Meredith
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Middleton
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Charlestown.
Miles Madeira (MWC)
Old name: Rutherford & Miles, brand of the Madeira Wine Company, founded in 1814, joined in 1969, address and details see MWC.
Offer: Finest 3Y, Reserve 5Y, Special Reserve 10Y, soleras, vintages.
Mitchell, Silas Weir MD
Madeira wine collecting physician in 19th century Philadelphia. Mitchell is also famous for his story “A Madeira party”, please refer to the bibliography section.
Monteiro Vinhos (Just. Henriques)
Associated with Justino Henriques e Filhos, see there.
MWA
Madeira Wine Association, see there.
MWC
Madeira Wine Company, see there.
Nicolas
Long-time established wine merchant in Paris/France, founded in 1822. The adress is: Nicolas, Siège social 2, Rue de Valmy, Charenton-le-Pont Seine. Even though I have never been there, I have been told, that this Company ownes (or owned) a few casks with old Madeira wine. This wine was bottled and sold in the 1970ies. The only wine known to me is a superb "Brown Madeira" vintage 1835.
Nobrega, A. (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1953, probably went out of trade in 1980.
Oglethorpe
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Savannah.
D'Oliveira, Aníbal
See Pereira D'Oliveira.
Owens-Thomas
House in Savannah, Georgia, with a small museum. In the cellar you can find a huge collection of Madeira wines with handwritten labels.
Parkington, J. R. & Co
Former British importer for Power Drury. Address was: 161 New Bond Street, London W. 1.
Passos Freitas, Manoel de
Nothing known about this producer besides a blended Madeira from the 1950ies, the bottle wearing a JNV seal.
Pereira D'Oliveira Vinhos
See chapter about this company here.
Pereira, Vasco Luis
Company absorbed into Pereira D'Oliveira (Vinhos) Lda.
Perestrello & Cia Lda
So far I have only seen two bottles bearing this name. One was a bottle with the remains of a label reading "Madere Reserve Perestrello" bottled in the 1920ies. The bottle was clearly destined for the french market, since the foil-capsule was stamped in Portuguese but the label was written in French. The other one was a stencilled bottle, about the same age. Perestrello is a well-known name on Madeira island, mostly because this family owned the foto-studio that today is named "Foto Museu Vicente" in Funchal. Whether the bottles have any direct connection to the Foto Museu is not known.
Pinckney
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Charlestown.
Power Drury (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1934, went out of trade in 1988. Nevertheless the brand is sometimes used for 3YO wines.
Price, William
Madeira wine collecting wine merchant in 19th century Savannah.
Pries Scholtz, A. (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, probably went out of trade in 1980. Importer for Germany was Bols-Import, Neuss/Rhein.
Quinta
Quinta means estate in Portuguese. Many famous wines were bottled under the name of the producing quinta.
Quinta do Serrado
Estate in Camara de Lobos owned by the family of Antonio Eduardo Henriques. A large stock of their wines (about 1200 bottles of each, 1827 and 1830) was sold at Christie’s in the late 1980ies.
Rapid
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Ravenel
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Charlestown.
Rebel
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Red Jacket
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Rego or de Regos
This family originated from the Algarve.
Richmond Packet
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Royal Madeira Company (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1936, probably went out of trade in 1980.
Rozès
Import company for the French market, founded in 1855 by Ostende Rozès. The company was sold to Vranken Monopole in 1999 and does no longer trade with Madeira wine. Port wines are still available though. Former address in Funchal: Rozès Lda., Rua San Pedro 18, Funchal. Former address in Bordeaux: Ed. Rozés, 20 Rue Raze, Bordeaux.
RT
See Teixera, Rodrigues.
Rutherford & Miles (MWC)
See Miles.
Rutledge
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Charlestown.
Sandeman
The global player Sandeman used to offer a range of Madeira blends with an age of 3, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 plus years, but today (2008) they only offer a three year old "Fine Rich" and a three year old "Rainwater". The wines are sourced from Henriques & Henriques under the Casa dos Vinhos brand. The bottles bear the Sandeman label with the typical "Don" icon.
Santa Luzia (MWC)
Brand of the MWC for the market in Finland.
Sarmento, JoséImport company for the French market, probably no longer existing. Former Bordeaux address: Union Europeene d'Importation. 136 Quai des Chartrons, Bordeaux, France.
Scheley
Madeira wine collecting family in 19th century Savannah.
Schenley Import Corporation
Former importer for Power Drury for the US. Address was: 18 West 40th Street, New York.
Seager, Evans & Co.
Used to be the London importers for Blandy's. Old address: 20 Queen Anna's Gate, London S. W. 1.
Shortridge Lawton & Co, Vinhos (MWC)
Brand of the Madeira Wine Company, founded in 1757, joined in 1934, probably went out of trade in 1988. Wines are sought after by collectors since they were one of the last wines to be matured by the traditional sea voyage.
Silva Vinhos Lda
Founded in 1990 by the Silva brothers Joao Alexandre and Jose Olavo, went out of trade in 2002 after bankruptcy. As the company had been founded, the owners had also bought the rights for the Veiga Franca brand, but as far as I know, they had never used it for new vintages or even soleras.
Old address: Sitio da Igreja, Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, P-9300 Câmara de Lobos, Tel 00315-291-945810, Fax 00351-291-945199.
Offer: 3Y, 5Y and 10Y. Some old Veiga Franca vintages and soleras are still available from private sources and auctions.
Silva Lda, Joao Vicente da
Company founded in 1921 by the father of the Silva brothers who in 1990 founded Silva Vinhos Lda. Joao Vicente da Silva mainly worked as a partidista, but at least a blended Verdelho wine from the 1950ies or 1960ies is known.
Socieda Agricola da Madeira (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, founded in 1928, joined in 1937, went out of trade.
Spence-Symington
Famous American collection of Madeira Wines.
Spinola, J. B. (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1936, probably went out of trade in 1980.
de Sousa, Manoel, Herdeiros Lda.
Brand of a ca. 30 year old Madeira wine, sold at Patricio and Gouveia Lda., the embroidery company. They say that this wine comes from the owner’s family and has been matured for more then 30 years in the old casks lying in the basement of the building, right in the tasting room. These bottles do not bear any IVM seal. Also I have seen a Moscatel vintage from 1900 with the initials MSH.
Southern Cross
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Star of Bengal
19th century ship carrying Madeira wine on the India route.
Success
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Susquehanna
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Tartar
19th century ship transporting Madeira wine to the United States.
Taylor, W. A. & Co.
Used to be the U.S. importers for Blandy's. Also marketed Madeira wine unde