Blandy's Wine Lodge

Blandy's Wine Lodge stands at Avenida Arriaga 28 in central Funchal, on the island of Madeira, Portugal, on the site of the former Jesuit College. The 19th-century lodge is where Madeira wine has been aged in oak casks for generations, and it is one of the best places in the city to learn how the fortified wine is made. Visits are by guided tour, which covers the history of the Blandy family and of Madeira wine, the role of the island in the Atlantic trade, and the production process. A central part of the tour is the explanation of estufagem, the heating process that gives Madeira its unusual ability to age, which developed after barrels of wine that crossed the tropics on ships were found to improve. Visitors walk among rows of old casks in the cellars, where the smell of wine and old oak is strong, and see the lodge's collection of historic bottles and equipment. The tour ends with a tasting of Madeira wines in the main styles: Sercial, the driest; Verdelho; Bual; and Malmsey, the sweetest. Guides explain how to distinguish the styles and which foods suit each, and the lodge shop sells bottles including older vintages. The lodge is open Monday to Friday 10AM-6:30PM, Saturday 10AM-6PM, and Sunday 10AM-1PM and 2PM-6PM, with tours running on a set schedule, so visitors should confirm times at blandyswinelodge.com. The tour is charged per person, and the current fare is shown on the website. A visit takes one to one and a half hours. Late morning is the best time, when tours are less crowded, and booking ahead in the high season helps secure a place. The lodge is about a five-minute walk from Praça do Município, on Avenida Arriaga, and it fits easily between a visit to the Sé Cathedral and lunch in the Old Town. Photography in the cellars is generally permitted for personal use. Visitors who do not drink alcohol can still enjoy the history, and the tasting measures are modest.