Among lush nature and artisan culture.
Madeira has an exotic allure. This Atlantic island is closer to Africa than it is to Europe, and the autonomous territory is part of Portugal. Always interested in exploring the local spirits, I’m here to discover all about Madeira wine and rum production. The designation Agricole/Agricola Rum is hard to attain: the rum must be from sugar cane juice instead of molasses. The French Caribbean and Overseas Departments can use this name but in 2011, Madeira was granted this appellative.
My hotel was Estalagem da Ponta do Sol, clifftop hotel overlooking the seaside town. The director, Andre Diogo, is an art lover and modern works tastefully dot the property. It is also a popular yoga retreat, and the lush grounds emanate an air of serenity. A meal outdoors, with a glass of Madeira wine in hand, witnessing the sunset is a truly unforgettable experience.
The island is lush and mountainous, and sugar cane has been cultivated here since 1425. My driver Roberto told me that cane workers were sent to Hawaii – they were called Pukiki – and the cane from Madeira was planted in Brazil. Sugar cane cultivation in Madeira is probably the most backbreaking job in the world. Since the majority of the sugar cane is grown on small plots of land, often terraced, the harvesting must be done by hand. No tractor can navigate this steep terrain.
My first visit was the William Hinton distillery, not the largest producer but certainly the highest, located in Calheta. Named after an English family, the company was founded in 1845, closed in 1986, and was resurrected by Hinton’s Madeiran heirs in 2006.
Mario Gomes was my guide, and part of his tour was a visit to the Skywalk on the cliffs of Cabo Girão, a glass walkway jutting out over a cliff. Below, we observed a man cultivating a small plot of sugar cane on an impossibly steep hill! Next, we made a stop to a little poncha stand. Poncha is the typical drink of the island, made by hand. The traditional poncha is called the “fisherman’s”, and its ingredients are lemon juice, white sugar and rum.
At the William Hinton distillery, I watched the machines used to break open the cane and crush it to extract the juice. The juice is fermented and distilled, the alcohol adjusted and the aguardente can be bottled. Some of Hinton’s rum is aged in used barrels ranging from peated whisky to Amarone, to beer… each cask imparting a unique taste profile to the liquid. “The beauty is that every cask offers a different taste experience”, says Gomes. Then we try the ultra-premium product, from 25 years-old rum retrieved from the old distillery before it was demolished, mixed with 6 year editions, then aged two years in sherry casks. Phenomenal.
Madeira wine has a fascinating story. Legend has it that sailors, after a trip to India, using wine kegs as ballast, stopped in Madeira for supplies. The wine was found to be better after trips over the equator and for centuries wine was sent on long sea voyages to age. Madeirans found a way to replicate this on the island and Madeira wine was born. I visited the Blandys Madeira Wine Lodge in Funchal for a tour, conducted by our able guide Tatiana.
John Davis Blandy founded the company in 1811 and today the company is run by the seventh generation of the family. I accessed the Sala Frasqueira/ Vintage room lined with ancient bottles, the oldest dating back to the 1920’s. I tried four excellent 10 year olds, with great variety: there is a Madeira for every phase of the meal, from a light before dinner sip to a rich and plummy after- dinner drink.
Funchal is a thriving tourist town and my next hotel was the Savoy Palace, part of a veritable village of hotels overlooking the Atlantic. The interiors were designed by Nini Andrade Silva who pays homage to the rich Madeiran artisan heritage. The showstopper was the spiral staircase featuring a steel balustrade resembling lace. Premium rooms feature butler service and a private pool. Galáxia Skyfood is both a fine dining restaurant as well as a bar, with a cool space-centric décor.
O Reizinho is a small family run distillery, located in the small town of Santa Cruz. The name means Little King, and Pedro Ferreira tells us the story of his great grandfather in the 1800s. He was born at 7 months, literally a death sentence. Instead of calling a doctor, the family called a priest to baptize the infant. The priest prayed over the baby and called him a little king (Reizinho), who would soon join the kingdom of heaven. Miraculously, the baby survived, he fathered 14 children, and lived until the age of 94.
O Reizinho was the perfect name for the rum. The operation began as a hobby by dad Florentino, and Pedro, living in South Africa, was urged by his wife Nevena to scale back and move to Madeira. Two children later, the family home now houses two discontinuous wood -fired stills and production is swiftly growing. Pedro has an unaged white rum and a 9 month aged. He also makes three 3 year old varieties and one six year, as well as one gin. His attention to detail has garnered him numerous awards. Small batches guarantee a robust demand: you could actually taste the love that went into his newest 3-year release.
Sugar cane production on the island is falling because the younger generation does not want to continue this extremely difficult work. The EU pays farmers a subsidy for the Unions outermost regions, but it is still a struggle. Real estate speculation has made a plot of land very lucrative to a farmer and many plots have been sold. Despite the difficulties, Madeira Agricultural Rum is gaining popularity for being a unique product of excellence. Both Madeira Wine and Rum are under the jurisdiction of the IVBAM, a governing body regulating the quality and assisting in the promotion of these and other artisanal products such as local embroidery and crafts. Through this organization, Madeira can bolster its position as a natural paradise, not just for its stunning landscape, but also for the richness of its artisanal gifts to the world.
Sharla Ault – Creator of Sharlafied.com
