Contacts/help on Madeira

[N. Spanier]

Hello everybody,

I am a sommelier from Berlin and I am currently on Madeira. Combining holidays with my profession is always nice. Obviously I am not interested in taking the tourist tours and doing the tourist wine tastings offered by the producers; as I have a professional background I already have quite a bit of knowledge and I am interested in learning things I wouldn't be able to learn from books and I am abviouly interested to see the actual production sites of the companies rather than the tourist museums (hopefully combined with tasting a few special fillings).

Through contacts I already arranged a meeting with Barbeito which was perfect and included a comprehensive tasting and on Monday I have a meeting with Henriques & Henriques. Blandy's offered me a tasting in a seperate room from all the tourists but only gave me their basic range and talking to someone involved in the production or visiting the production site doesn't seem to be possible.

The other producers didn't even respond to my requests. Unfortunately the contact to Barbeito was my only professional contact and I would be rather disappointed if this was my only proper wine related experience during my stay. In other wine growing areas I normally always get appointments considering my professional background.

Maybe there is somebody here who has ideas or even a contact for me so I can get more out of my saty,

regards from Funchal,

Nico

[Roy Hersh]

Hi Nico,

You should've joined us in May when we head over to the island for an insider's tour and are spoiled at every stop along the way. Trying to obtain special appointments after the fact, while already on the island is not a strategy for success. The fact that you are a Somm, just means that you should know better. Sorry to be so direct, but you asked.

[N. Spanier]

Well, I am not on a pure wine journey and not on a business trip where an itinerary needs to be worked out before take off AND I did contact the producers beforehand. I have met with winemakers and representatives of three shippers including beautiful tastings, and it would have been nice to get in contact with at least one more on such a short notice, but well...

It was a spontaneous idea to come here and believe me when I am on a work related trip to a wine region there is more planning involved, but considering the nature of this trip I really don't know why I "should have known better".... (or is it a rule that Somms can't be spontaneous?...maybe I missed that during my exams)

Well, thanks for you "helpful" response anyway.. and enjoy your trip in May