Madeira 2012; A Photographic Report – Part 2

600 photographs later, lots of new impressions, knowledge and wines tasted, Mad about Madeira have all the prerequisites to continue yet a year. Regular visits is a must and I can’t thank the producers enough for their time and generosity. Please continue liking and sharing my site; for that I can’t thank YOU enough!

The sun sets quite fast and one has to be quick to catch that special moment. In the horizon, the classic Reid’s Palace, seen from Pestana Casino.

I envy all living in the US, having the possibility to purchase The Rare Wine Company’s Historic Series of Madeira. The Baltimore Rainwater is without doubt, the best Rainwater I’ve ever tasted. Respect to Mannie Berk and Ricardo Diogo for creating this elegant wine.

Visiting Artur and Edmundo Olim is a must when in Funchal. The company of Artur Barros e Sousa doesn’t export and the production is miniscule. Yet it is of greatest importance to update what’s happening at the brothers because they represent something pretty unique in today’s all too profit focused wine world. Not that profit is bad, but values comes in other ways then euros, dollars and pounds as well.

Last Tinta Negra grapes being crushed at the Henriques & Henriques Quinta Grande site. This year’s quality on the grape dominating the island cultivation, is excellent. Prepare to challenge your taste buds in the future!

Invited by Humberto Jardim at Henriques & Henriques to a great fish restaurant in the Old Town of Funchal. The octopus was remarkably fresh and a real treat to be served. Not to mention the Parrot fish….

Francisco de Albuquerque and Filipe Azevedo, winemakers at Blandy’s, are great. They knew it was my birthday and made sure I got to taste a cask sample of their simply amazing 1972 Sercial – on my birthday! Please release this before my 50th birthday guys.

Luís d’Oliveira continued the generosity by serving me a glass of my all time favorite Verdelho, the 1850. This one was opened up two days before, decanted and allowed to breathe since it was bottled in the mid Nineteen Seventies. And I thought last year’s pour of this one was the best ever! Hard to understand it was a notch up now. Divine. divine, divine!

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