Blandy's

Seven generations, one family

John Blandy moved from Great Britain to the island of Madeira in the early 1800s and opened a wine shop in 1811. Two centuries later, the family still owns and operates the business, which is a rarity on the island. In the 19th century, when Madeira’s wine industry was experiencing a prolonged decline due to damage caused by phylloxera and the loss of key export markets, many well-known Madeira wine producers were absorbed or sold.

The Blandy company retained its independence. Today, the company is led by Chris Blandy, a seventh-generation member of the family; he is promoting a research program dedicated to studying the ripening processes of various grape varieties and has updated the packaging design so that consumers can determine the wine’s sweetness level at a glance.

In addition, the company operates “Blandy's Wine Lodge” in Funchal. This historic cellar, where barrels age under the warmth of the attic, which gives Madeira wine its unique character, serves not only as an active aging facility but also as a visitor center for tourists.

Growing wine on a volcanic island

Madeira is a small island in the Atlantic Ocean, located about 450 kilometers north of the Canary Islands; its vineyards stretch across terraced slopes overlooking the sea. Blandy's works with local producers and purchases four traditional white grape varieties from them, as well as the primary red grape variety, “Tinta Negra,” which accounts for the majority of Madeira wine production. In addition, the winery owns the “Quinta de Santa Luzia” vineyards, as well as plots adjacent to the family’s land. The vines are grown on low trellises called “poios” and on terraces laid out on slopes so steep that machinery cannot reach them. The harvest is carried out exclusively by hand. There is simply no other choice.

Heat, humidity and the Atlantic

The climate of Madeira Island is subtropical, warm, and humid; the north receives more precipitation, while the south is relatively dry. The volcanic soils are black and rich in minerals; the ridges extending from the mountains in the center of the island ensure good drainage. The elevation above sea level provides a balance. The Sercial grape variety is grown in the highest areas, where cool nights help preserve acidity. At the same time, the Malmsey variety ripens in lower-lying, warmer areas, which gives the wine a richer character.

However, the story of Madeira’s terroir does not end with the vineyards. The wine is shaped in equal measure by the heat treatment it undergoes in the cellars after fermentation. This is precisely the secret that makes Madeira what it is.

The four classic styles

Blandy's produces wines from four varieties of “noble white grapes” from the island of Madeira, each of which is associated with a specific level of sweetness, and also uses the Tinta Negra variety in blends of young wines:

• Sercial: dry. Grown in high-altitude regions, it has a bright aroma of citrus and nuts
• Verdelho: off-dry. Aromas of dried fruit and honey, with a refreshing finish
• Bual (also spelled "Boal"): medium-bodied, with aromas of raisins, buttery toffee, and vanilla
• Malmsey (Malvasia): a full-bodied wine with notes of marmalade and dried figs, always balanced by its acidity
• Tinta Negra: a red grape variety used in most standard blends

Why Madeira tastes like nothing else

All Madeira wines undergo a special heat treatment after their alcohol content is increased using grape distillate. Young wines and mid-range blends undergo a process called “estufagem,” during which they are heated in stainless-steel tanks to a temperature of 45-50 °C for several months. At the same time, aged premium wines mature using a traditional method called “canteiro.” This method involves storing the barrels on the upper floors of the lodge, where they slowly age under the sun’s heat for several years, and sometimes even decades.

The “canteiro” method is more labor-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive. However, it is precisely this method that allows for the creation of great old Madeira wines. All “Colheita” wines (single-vintage wines aged for at least 5 years) and “Frasqueira” (single-vintage wines aged for at least 20 years) from Blandy's are aged using the “canteiro” method.

The result is a wine that has undergone controlled oxidation and can withstand virtually any conditions. Even after opening, the bottle retains its qualities for several months. An unopened bottle can be stored for several centuries. Francisco Albuquerque oversees the blending process and barrel selection, and the results of the research conducted under his leadership have been embodied in the new “10-Year-Old” series. In this series, clear bottles and color-coded labels are used to indicate the style.

The range

The Blandy's selection is divided into several categories. Among the blended wines, there are varieties aged for 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 50 years, each of which is made primarily from noble grape varieties. “Colheita” refers to single-vintage wines aged in barrels for at least 5 years. “Frasqueira” (also known as “vintage Madeira”) consists of single-vintage wines aged for at least 20 years, and often much longer, before being bottled.

Two bottles of single-vintage “Frasqueira”-style wine demonstrate the true value of the wines this winery has been able to produce over many years. “Madeira Verdelho 1976” is a semi-dry single-vintage wine aged in barrels for several decades before being released for sale. On the other hand, “Madeira Bual 1920”, at the opposite end of the spectrum, is a medium-bodied wine with a history spanning more than a century, a true masterpiece whose very existence is made possible precisely because Madeira wines literally “never go bad.” Both wines belong to the “Canteiro” category and embody exactly why Madeira wines deserve such high praise.