Madeira - an update of our current visit.

[Niklas J]

So, 17 days on Madeira now and 19 to go! Never have I been so spoiled with great wines, genuine friendliness and wines of sheer world class! First visit was Henriques & Henriques, in beautiful Camara de Lobos, where we were guided by the president, Humberto Jardim. A lot of wines tasted but the most memorable I will have difficulties erasing from the memory before getting senile is the 1976 Terrantes, 1980 Boal and 1964 Sercial!

Then, a visit to the two gentlemen of Artur Barros e Sousa; Artur and Edmundo. Artur showed us the canteiro and passionately explained about his work and the grapes used. A true connaisseur of life! What a lovely man! At four o'clock he took of his coat and walked away for his coffee break out in the city! "This I do every day, every year!" he laughed! Edmundo guided us through the vintage selection and also gave us a most interesting comparison with a quartet of 2003's. Most educational. A true handcraft and I pray this firm will continue to be family owned and survive after the two brothers!

Then yesterday, when people fled the city due to heavy rain and terrified a similar scenario like in February was to be a fact, we visited Pereira d'Oliveira - guided by the most generous gentleman Luís d'Oliveira. As a starter the most enjoyable 10 YO but after that a vintage race for 2,5 hours! Man, was I tired after that! Starting at 1989 and ending with the 1895 Malvasia. Best performance this evening? The Boal's of 1922 and 1903! Most generous pour? Luís & Anibal's parent's birth year - the 1907 Malvazia! A relief was to hear about the loss of a canteiro - it will be covered by their insurance and it was 'only' wines for their 5 YO blends affected.

Two visits to the Blandy's Lodge where the best in show so far has been the 1950 Sercial Leacock's. And so, today, a visit to MWC's production site where we were treated like kings! We had it all and the competent guidance by Ana, Filipe and & Francisco was most thrilling! After a most evolutive and educational tasting Filipe asked me: "What do you wan't to taste now" Well, having already been spoiled with the beauty 1920 Boal it had to be a humble wish to taste my own vintage (which I happened to know was excellent). The oenologist, Filipe, started digging amongst cask samples and came up with a Blandy's 1972 Verdelho! What intensity and concentration. And what a child!! This will be in cask for decades he said. Before leaving a 1963 mouth dripping Sercial with awesome concentration. With wines like this dentists will never be out of job!

This afternoon also permitted a meeting with IVBAM and their delightful president. A bunch of updated material to read and lots of questions were asked. A visit to their experimental vineyard was offered and also a visit to the production site at Sao Vicente for table wines. The IVBAM were hit, due to the fact being on Rua de Anadia, and the wine museum will be closed for the rest of the year most likely. First floor was flooded and they lost four company cars as well.

Saturday, if weather permits, we have an invitation to Faja dos Padres. How can one miss this one when visiting Madeira? Monday is Borges day and later this month we have visits to Barbeito (postponed due to Ricardo's visit to US) and Justino's. I must admit my lack of knowledge when IVBAM told about another producer today still on the market; J.Faria & Filhos. I thought they were gone but obviously do some wine still. Will look them up and arrange a visit.

More to be visited as well but these are the main tasks.

Some slight off-topics; I've learned there are a handful of table wine producers on the island and has so far tasted some of them. One stood out and was not just a good wine, it was very good! The 2008 Primeira Paixao Verdelho. 2000 bottles only from a site in Camara de Lobos. Winemaker? Francisco Albuquerque and as a consultant he's used his good friend from the mainland, Rui Reguinga. I talked to Francisco today and he thought he might produce 4000 bottles in 2009. Also, he had some interesting, also private projects, in Canical, with Touriga Nacional and Merlot! It's a tough job making table wine on Madeira but with the right micro climate it is possible!

Best regards,

Niklas Jörgensen - a spoiled man

[Eric Ifune]

Sounds like an absolutely wonderful trip! I loved visiting Barros e Sousa. Artur was just coming back from his coffee break when we visited. And I still remember that Blandy's 1920 Boal!

[Roy Hersh]

Niklas,

Bravo! One of the greatest reads on Madeira, we have ever had here in the Forum itself!

Spectacular!

[Marco D.]

A wonderful post on what seemed like a magical trip. Thanks for sharing!

[Niklas J]

Hate to say it Marco but the trip isn't over yet! Yes, I am a spoiled man - especially considering having 17 days left in Funchal! Me and my family took the opportunity on spending 36 days on Madeira now when my wife's on maternity leave and I using my days on the older daughter. Sweden has a quite unique way of letting you stay home with your children and gives the parents 480 days to stay home compensated where 390 days are compensated most reasonably. So we took this unique chance and went to our favourite destination - not only for the wine; the island is truly beautiful, the people are genuinely friendly and it is not a far trip from Sweden (approx 5 1/2 hours). Furthermore, everything is functioning here on Madeira and when traveling with small kids it is a relief to know the medical care works and that we are part of EU (meaning a Swede has the same right as a Portuguese here).

Today, we visited Faja dos Padres and that was one ride! My wife shaked the whole elevator trip down and actually considered swimming back to Funchal - so scary was the ride down she thought!

Tomorrow a resting day but Monday it is time for Borges! Should anyone of you consider going to Madeira, and has small kids, don't be frightened because this is like Italy; show your kid and you have the entrance ticket everywhere Madeiran's simply LOVE kids! Even at IVBAM my youngest girl was kidnapped by the personnel! And how many wine producers do let your daughters eat their spaghetti bolognese in the tasting room with all the ancient bottles, come running with juice and biscuits to them and let the parents taste the wines?

Best,

Niklas

[Marco D.]

I need to get a job in Sweden

Keep us updated on your trip...

[Roy Hersh]

Marco,

I think it would be easier for Niklas to adopt me.

[Niklas J]

Haha...good ones

Monday was Borges day! We met with Isabel Borges and her winemaker Ivo Couto (previously on MWC and Silva). Ivo had put together a tasting of the Borges wines he thought I should try but of course some extra bottles showed up! As we've experienced before on the island a most generous visit and a great chat with especially Isabel since Ivo's English is like my Portuguese! But we understood each other quite well - and when he gave me the grand tour around the house it was most thrilling. Such a different world from for example MWC! Walking the canteiro what struck me most was the number of Malmsey casks - Borges seems to have a weakness for the grape. Which makes me happy because their ordinary 10 YO Malmsey retailed at EUR 16 a bottle is a great buy with fine balance between the acidity and sweetness, yet still showing fine floral notes. I have tried it now some times during the stay and have rated it consequently at 91 p.

Ivo told me to wait while he went to pick up the key for the treasure chamber. In we went and there they stood - the old dusty demi-john's! We opened one and had a sniff - a 1887 Terrantez! Quite some nose there....sadly Isabel told me these couldn't be bottled and sold since they're so old and the don't have documentation on them to proof age and grape for the IVBAM. Many of the demi-john's are the remainers from the starting of Borges in the 1870's as a partidista.

We had a discussion on the Solera system and Isabel asked me if I wanted to try their oldest, a 1940 Solera. What an elegant bouquet! Solera is seldomly powerful, just filled with complex notes both on the nose and taste. Speaking of blends another one was poured - the Malmsey +40 years wine that Borges bottled to celebrate Funchal 500 years. Only 1000 bottles so a true honour to taste - one that you don't spit I can tell you!

And when sitting there with Isabel and Ivo we suddenly realized we were child free. The youngest, Esther - 10 months old, was sitting with Ivo, and the soon to be three years old Clara was sitting with Isabel! I've said it before - Madeiran's and children are most compatible!

What I so far like most about the tastings and visits is that I realize how big difference their actually is amongst their respective house styles. Borges for example was most competent in keeping a high acidity in their Malmsey's making them most refreshing even though the residual sugar are impressive. And even more fun is tasting all the daily wines and comparing them - I mean, even if i want to drink Vintage every time I have Madeira that is not going to happen. Some are really good at the dry style, some not. Some do great Malmsey, others just to sweet. Another one produces a lovely Colheita on Verdelho or even Tinta Negra Mole, others don't bother on Colheita.

Oh yes, we also went on a visit to see the Faja dos Padres site. My wife was terrified in the elevator down that she actually considered; 1. Staying at the Faja for the rest of her life or 2. Swim to Funchal! However, a lovely place and the buds are already starting to break some places down there.

To be continued...

[Eric Ifune]

I've said it before, but we've gotta get Borges imported to the States. Love that 10 yo Malmsey! I think I have only one bottle left from the few I got there, and only one of the 1940 solera.

[Niklas J]

Good to hear that I'm not the only one finding the 10 YO a fine buy Eric! I can buy some Borges back home in Sweden but unfortunately not the one's i want. It will be a painful trip home from here - filling the luggage with Madeira bottles will probably end up in a lumbago...

Isabel's and Ivo's wines are worth more attention and it is easy to forget about them. Maybe the don't have that many Vintage wines, or old ones, but what they have is great buys and I also liked their Colheita Malmsey a lot!

Hope you will get it to the states soon!

Best,

Niklas

[Niklas J]

Today was a good day - no, great day! We started in the morning going to Calheta and the IVBAM Campo Experimental da Calheta. Invited by IVBAM we were going to meet Mr. Magalhaes who manage the vineyard. Narrow small roads, foggy and not an easy place to find even with a most competent guide! But suddenly, there it was and I knew directly I saw it that I would ask a hundred questions! What a lovely place and with the fog surrounding the vineyard it was almost a mystical, or maybe magical, feeling to it. Mr. Magalhaes, a most friendly and competent man, showed us around and explained all about their work and the experimenting with not only the noble grapes but also with other varietals. How should a Malvazia Candida be planted and where? Should Terrantez be planted in a pergola system or the more classic way? Which root should be used? Are Esgana Cao the same as Madeira's Sercial? Are the Canarian Island's Malvazia the same as the Madeiran?

Interestingly they did not only cultivate the viniferas but also hybrid's to follow them. But what made me most happy was to get to see Bastardo IRL - and touch them! Between every row they had planted Lupin's and for those of you who have visited Madeira, or maybe the Azore's, have most likely tasted the tremoco, lupin beans in brine with parsley, pimento and sometimes garlic. Lovely snacks and interestingly they are not recommended to eat in some european countries. I love them and their chrunchy feel even if my stomache disagrees sometimes

Oldest vines were now around 35 years and those were soon to be taken up to give space for new experiments. Mr. Magalhaes told me that their recommendations to the cultivators must also be out of respect for them to make money, even if they wanted them to only plant noble grapes such as Terrantez and Verdelho. Then they had found that 35 years was the vines top in producing grapes before they should be replanted. Sometimes i feel when visiting the people involved in Madeira wine that they really should benefit from a system where grapes each year was priced by a committee setting the prices for the grapes. A system that would promote production of grapes like Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malmsey and Terrantez and where the cultivators would benefit from their efforts. Today there's, IMO, too few incentives to start planting Terrantez even if, as Mr. Magalhaes pointed out, they know how to take care of the grape today without all the difficulties the grape's seen in the past. Even if the end result would be a bad one for the consumer, meaning raised prices, I still think that quality should never be negotiated.

After a lovely visit at Calheta we were off to Porto Moniz. Now the fog was so thick you could barely see more than a few meters! On serpentine roads as well! Finally, when getting close to the Sercial village the fog disappears and down there we see the little village. What slopes and cultivation sites! A suicide mission to pick those grapes. Think about that next time you pour a Sercial! Artur Barros gets all their Sercial from here btw. Fine weather and warm, around 23 C, and a nice lunch watching the giant waves hitting the coast line. Then off for Seixal and yes, now the rain came! If it was suicide mission at Porto Moniz to harvest I don't have a word for it here. According to the Madeiran's here the best table wines on the island is found.

Next, Sao Vicente and now the rain was pouring, probably the one we earlier had heard hit Funchal. Lots of dramatic sites as well here and such a beautiful little village (around 6000 inhabitants). Then the tunnel to Ribeira Brava, something I've both wanted to see but also had a sad feeling about. It's now a month since the flooding but Ribeira Brava is still a disaster. When seeing how the flood hit the municipality I finally realized how big this disaster really was. Not only the "wild river" was flooded but from every slope new waterfalls could be seen, due to the enormous amounts of rain coming down and taking everything with. I saw a lady cleaning of her kitchen items which were covered in mud. Her house just barely surviving the inferno. Tons of rocks, the road erased and a temporary one taking us down, we saw such things I couldn't imagine. Slopes close to the river where people cultivated all from bananas to vines were wiped out but the ones higher up had survived, if they wasn't in the way for a new waterfall. I suffer with the Ribeira Bravan's....

Cabo Girao was impossible to enjoy today due to the fog but we were most lucky with the vineyards of Estreito de Camara de Lobos. Mostly Tinta Negra Mole here but what impressive sites. Such a beautiful place. We actually lived here last time on Madeira so it was a good reunion for us. Some sites revisited in Camara de Lobos and then....home! A great day - totally exhausted of all impressions and now, please excuse me, sitting with a cold beer next to me At least a local one, the Zarco's. Tomorrow I will go in to Funchal (if I hadn't said it before we live just outside at a place called Palheiro, between Funchal and Canico) and take some classic wine pics. I will ask Luís d'Oliveira if he would open the doors for the Adega the Torreao as well for me since I'd love to see the place - totally renovated by the d'Oliveira's today but just sensing the spirit of the late Vasco Lojas would be quite nice. I've had a few wines actually bottled by the late partidista, a Terrantez for example that was divine, so some visits mean something extra to you. And maybe I will drop by Luís for a nice glass, or maybe the Blandy's for a nice Verdelho? By the way, the Verdelho 2000 Colheita from Blandy's - what a wonderful wine! Modern, yet a classic most reasonably priced!

For now from Funchal,

Best,

Niklas Jörgensen

[Niklas J]

An absolutely great day on the island today! We were extremely lucky when deciding to go up to Pico Arieiro, 1818 meters above sea level. Not only was the sun at its best . no clouds at all when we came and that is quite unusual. So from the top it was a magnificent view and we could see all the way down to the mystic nun's valley, Cural de Freitas.

But it didn't stop there. On our way up north we were just as lucky with the weather when checking out Faial and Santana, two of the maybe most rural areas of the island. Lots of vines in pergolas but sadly also many of them being of less noble character. Though, things are getting better and maybe in the future we will see more of the indigenous grapes of Madeira here?

After going back via Machico, Santa Cruz and Canico we came home to a glorious afternoon. The sun was shining and eating on the terrace was a joy - when the kids didn't scream! Tonight i thank Tom & Jerry for their efforts in keeping my two little daughters happy and i ask for forgiveness in this break in their upbringing! But the panorama view, with Cabo Girao watching over Funchal was just too beautiful not to enjoy over a glass of Malmsey 10 YO from Borges!

Just five days to go now but I feel lucky having been able to see so much of Madeira and not only its wine, but the island on a whole. Truly fascinating and I never seem to get enough of it! For those of you who hasn't been here yet - do yourself a favour and have your next vacation here, or go with Roy! It's an experience you won't regret!

Best,

Niklas

[Eric Ifune]

All around the world, kids seem to watch Tom and Jerry. The coming of the apocalypse?
Great notes Niklas, thanks for sharing!

[Glenn E.]

Nicklas,

I just wanted to say that I have really been enjoying your updates. You trip sounds wonderful and I'm very jealous!

[Niklas J]

Thanks guys! I must admit I've been a bit conservative when it come to what's on the tele or pc when the kids are watching. I mean, I don't want to watch pokekom or anime in any way when the soon to be three wants to watch cartoons with me - no we watch Tom & Jerry, Donald D, Casper and some classic Swedish cartoons. And it's so cool to see what worked for me as a child works for my daughters!

Enough on the Tom & Jerry theme; today was a Verdelho day! Yet another fine day with perfect temperature around the 22 C we took the local bus in to Funchal. The oldest daughter has found (yes, she have!) a kindergarten welcoming us and loves it. The girls working there indeed loves the two blue eyed girls as well so first two hours there (it's in Santa Catarina Park if you go with small kids). Then mum and dad said hi to the MWC people and in the vintage room we had two Verdelho's, the 1973 Cossart Gordon (bottled 2000) and the 1973 Leacock's (bottled in 1994). A fun comparison, something we've done a couple of times now during the trip - going to MWC, ordering two glasses for comparative reasons, and educational as well. The acidity was more energetic in the Leacock's which I also felt had just a bit more sweetness to it as well. Fine concentration but the Cossart Gordon had more elegance and refined acidity. So, fun to taste next to each other and definitely showing there still was difference kept in house styles back then. Cossart Gordon: a 93 p rating, Leacocks: a 91 p rating.

After the visit at Blandy's wine lodge we continued to Rua dos Ferreiros. My wife, who now must be considered something of an authority on Bolo de Mel's has tasted through the assortment on the island (tough job but someone' gotta do it!). No one has come nereby the one you buy at Pereira d'Oliveira and this was our next goal. We had a chat with Luís d'Oliveira as well who asked if we had time for a glass. How can one say no to this most generous man - offering me Madeira just before it was time for dinner! He came back with a glass each of the 1912 Verdelho, aged 90 years in cask. It is such a beauty and what the Verdelho thing is all about! Tasted first time around two weeks ago when I gave it a 97-rating. No need to change that one today and I even hesitated a second if I was to conservative on my rating - yep, it is that good!

Luís is such a great man talking to and not only was he giving us further information on their wines, he also explained the art of sugar cane syrup of Madeira for us and where to find the best one - which he gave us a sample of.

Tonight, my wife has enjoyed a piece of the Bolo de Mel from Pereira d'Oliveira. Produced exclusively for d'Oliveira's by Rita Maria G G Marques for the last 22 years (secret recipe of course) it receives a perfect score by my wife I can not taste due to the fact it is filled with nuts and then my throat go nuts...

Monday morning is our last great stop - then it is time for a visit close to Cabo Girão and Vinhos Barbeito. I really look forward to this, not only because Ricardo Diogo himself will give us the grand tour and tasting personally, I am also holding Barbeito as a personal favourite when buying Madeira back home. I am most sure Mr. Ricardo will make sure we then leave the island with satisfaction since we're going home the day after. We have been walking by their wine shop in Av. Arriaga now during the stay and it is sad to see how affected they was! Not only for the loss of old bottles - maybe more for the museum of Columbus in the cellar. Sad to see but finishing off with some positive news on the flooding; Pereira d'Oliveira's loss of a warehouse seems to work out fine with the insurance company and should soon be settled. Their quantity wines (5 YO) thank god but still, this is their living so good to hear it will work out!

For now, all the best,

Niklas - who will be eating tons of meat on a skewer tomorrow, the local Espetada, and drink a bottle of the always so charming, although a bit mainstream, Alentejo wine of Esporao! Sometimes, barrique is the shit...

[Niklas J]

And there it ended! Monday was a great day including both an intense tasting at Barbeito, followed by yet a visit to the brothers of Barros and ended with a good bye at the neighbouring house, d'Oliveira's and Luís! Best in show this day; the 30 YO Malvasia at Barbeito's was a true masterpiece of wine! So intense it almost hurts drinking it!

So, changing fine weather with easter cold back home in Sweden. Here it's now 5 C and I guess it will take some days to realise i'm not in Funchal anymore!

Over and out

Best,

Niklas

[Andy Velebil]

Niklas,
Thank you very much for the updates on your visit, it was fun to read and follow you along your trip!

[Roy Hersh]

Niklas,

You have been most generous with your

Now, hold something back for your inaugural Guest Corner article!

[Niklas J]

How much space do you have Roy? I can write a novel....