Blandy's Wine Lodge

7 generations since 1811 in a 17th-century former monastery (and later a prison). Madeira's oldest wine cellars. The Frasqueira collection holds vintages back to 1920. Museum has original Churchill correspondence.

What to do there

6 things to do

1. 1 Find the 9,000-Litre Giants Wine · Free

   Locate the massive Brazilian satinwood vats used for aging. These 9,000L giants are visible through the windows from the courtyard.

   Enter the central courtyard (free access, no tour needed). Look through the ground-floor windows to see the enormous satinwood vats. The courtyard is near the gift shop and toilets. Ask staff if you can peek inside the storage room door.

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2. 2 Watch a Cooper Build a Barrel History · Price: low

   The cooperage is a working barrel-making workshop - see the craft that's essential to Madeira.

   Book the "Discovery Tour" (€12, 45 min). The cooperage visit is included. Ask your guide when the cooper works - mornings are usually active. If no demonstration, you'll still see the tools and partially-built barrels.

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3. 3 Taste Your First Two Madeiras Wine · Price: low

   The Discovery Tour includes 2 wines - learn to distinguish dry Sercial from sweet Malmsey.

   Included in the €12 Discovery Tour. Tasting is in the room near the courtyard after the cellar walk. Ask your guide to explain the 4 noble grapes even if you're only tasting 2 - they'll tell you which you're drinking.

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4. 4 Read Churchill's Original Letter History · Price: low · Optional

   Winston Churchill ordered Blandy's regularly. His original correspondence is in the museum.

   Museum is included in Discovery Tour (€12) or above. It's two rooms. Look for the glass case with framed letters - the Churchill correspondence mentions "your excellent Bual." Ask staff to point it out if you can't find it. Photography allowed without flash.

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5. 5 Climb to the Hottest Room Adventure · Price: high · Optional

   The top floor is the hottest storage area - wines age faster here. The Vintage tour takes you to every level.

   Book "Vintage Premium Tour" (€54, 90 min) at least 2 days ahead on blandyswinelodge.com. This tour goes to all levels including the hottest room at the top (where estufagem happens naturally) and the strongroom cellar with the family's private collection.

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6. 6 Taste Wine from 1920 Wine · Price: very high · Optional

   Only 1,119 numbered bottles of the 1920 Bual exist. It aged 97 years in oak before bottling in 2017.

   Book "Vintage Premium Tour" (€54). Includes 4 tastings, one of which is a Frasqueira (vintage). The 1920 Bual may be poured depending on availability - ask when booking if it's the current Frasqueira offering. If not, you'll taste another vintage from their pre-war collection.

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Insider tips

• Discovery Tour (€12) covers the essentials - cooperage, storage, museum, 2 tastings

• Vintage Premium (€54) adds all building levels + Frasqueira vintage tasting

• The building was a monastery, then a prison, before Blandy bought it in the mid-1800s

• 10% shop discount for tour participants - buy after, not before