Blandy's Wine Lodge
Blandy's Wine Lodge
4.5
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
About
Located in a historical building in the very center of Funchal, Blandy's Wine Lodge has been the heart of the family's wine business for 7 generations, ageing the finest Madeira wines in a traditional canteiro method. Each room in the Lodge has unique wine ageing potential due to the different temperatures and humidity conditions, resulting in the diverse profiles of wines aged inside the building. We invite you to join us on our tours, wine tastings and events! Learn more about Madeira wine, history of the Blandy Family, witness canteiro wine ageing and enjoy one of the many wine tasting options we offer.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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- kathyinsurrey117 contributionsA "Must Do" and a PleasureThis is a "must do" when in Funchal. Apart from providing a fascinating insight into the production and history of madeira (the drink) it also highlights the achievements of one family whose ancestor ventured out to Madeira from a tiny Dorset village at the beginning of the 19th century to seek his fortune. The museum, which forms part of the tour (briefly) but to which you can return later (and I recommend you do) gives an outline of this family's association with the island and their interests extend way beyond producing madeira. Our guide on the tour spoke excellent English and you get to see the cooperage and the barrel storage and ageing process, as well as the museum, before tasting a couple of the different madeiras. An excellent way to spend a wet morning (which it was) but, of course, when it is wet it is busy. We took advantage of the discount available to those on the tour to buy some madeira to take home - a very efficient arrangement of picking it up airside at the airport on departure - which means it can go in hand luggage (hope it works!). We visited the onsite restaurant on a different (and sunny day) and have reviewed this separately.Visited February 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten February 8, 2024
- fionamatonNewbury, United Kingdom11 contributionsWhat’s not to enjoyJust a very pleasant way to spend time. Pacey and informative tour, atmospheric place and all very well done. Next to a v lovely green jardin with a nice cafe if you arrive a bit early.Visited February 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten February 14, 2024
- nsander219Chelmsford, United Kingdom654 contributionsEnjoyable Short TourProbably one of the must see's in Funchal. Very easy to book on their website. A 45 minute walk throught the history and making of their drink is well put together. A Premium Tour gets you two samples to taste plusd your ticket gets you 10% off with airport delivery. We enjoyed it.Visited February 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 5, 2024
- tastyholidaysCardiff, United Kingdom57 contributionsGood value for money!We booked an English tour, excellent commentary, the headsets enhance the quality of the tour. From beginning to end our guide was excellent, knowledgeable, thought provoking, humorous and attentive. The gifting of a guidebook is a great idea, as is the option to revisit the museum after the tasting session. The tasting was well organised and explained, tastings were generous measures and much appreciated. We did a Thursday morning tour which we booked online the previous evening. Would recommend booking on a non cruise ship day, as we did. We would definitely do this tour again and also like to visit the Blandy vineyards.Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 23, 2024
- Agnes PLincoln, United Kingdom41 contributionsGreat visitWe have booked the tickets on the day of the tour via their website ( €15 per adult and €7 per child). The tour took 45m and included 2 wines to try at the end. We have arrived for 10.15 and waited in the gift shop. The whole experience was really good, not to long and not to short. Sofia the guide was amazing and very knowledgeable. I probably would recommend the tour at 10.30 am as later on was very busy. Still great experience 👍Visited April 2024Traveled with familyWritten April 13, 2024
- Leif BPietarsaari, Finland3,075 contributionsBlandy's Wine Lodge tourI went on a Blandy's Wine Lodge Tour with my daughter. It Was an interesting tour. At first they told us about the making of the special Madeira wine, then about the Blandy's family history and at the end we tasted two different wines of madeira wine.Visited March 2024Traveled with familyWritten April 23, 2024
- Madrika91Budapest, Hungary137 contributionsHighly recommended.Must visit. We went on a premium tour, that lasted around 45 minutes, and had the chance to get to know the history and the process of the Maderia-wine making. Our tour guide (Sofia) was amazing. The whole place is beautiful, very nice to visit, but the wines, simply incredible. Highly recommend to buy the wines at the winery, they will send them to the ariport to you to collect after the security check, and it is much cheaper than buying the same wines directly at the airtport.Visited May 2024Traveled with friendsWritten May 5, 2024
- Travelling ManNewcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom31 contributionsWine and CheesePopped in here and got the mid range wine tasting experience with the cheeses. The chap behind the counter was extremely knowledgeable and gave us so much information about the wines and tasting notes before we made our choice. Absolutely no pressure by him to buy anything we didn’t want or upgrade to more expensive tastings, he provided an excellent service and we were free to choose what we wanted. The wines and cheese arrived very quickly after and we enjoyed mixing the different wines with the different cheeses. Excellent experience.Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten May 7, 2024
- cvk751Intervale, New Hampshire58 contributions2 Americans looking for a taste of MaderiaHighly recommended. We stopped in for a quick sampling and ended pairing some delicious aged blends with a cheese platter. The staff was knowledgeable and helped to pick a variety for us to try. Well worth the experienceVisited May 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten May 23, 2024
- SunshineSmilesUK85 contributionsIf you do nothing else in Madeira, then do eat here!It’s rare that I should want to be able to offer more than 5 stars but this is one of those occasions. I was apprehensive that this place might be trading a bit on the back of its brand but I needn’t have worried. The food was sublime, the waiter (I disappoint myself at not remembering his name) was fantastic, and the setting just perfect for an authentic Madeiran meal. Our waiter was fluent in suggesting wines to pair with our food and of course we had to sample the Blandys Madeira! We arrived a little early but were shown straight to our outdoors courtyard table. The evening was relaxed and we weren’t rushed through our courses. And joy of joys, the toilets were spotless!Visited June 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten June 21, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Holycruiser
San Antonio, TX44 contributions
Feb 2020
Overall this is a clean place with a nice atmosphere. Their wine is considered to be the finest port in Madeira. I cannot give it a five star rating for two reasons. First of all some of the staff are not especially helpful and one employee was actually rude. Secondly, an establishment that makes this much money selling their wines to individuals and overseas markets should NOT be charging high prices for samples. Unheard here in the U.S. Yes they will take the price off a bottle of the wine you sample and purchase. But if you sample and don’t purchase a bottle it will set you back 4+euro. That’s not good public relations in my opinion. We did purchase a couple of bottles but left thinking it’s not a place we would ever return to.
Written March 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mikinblack
Bramcote, UK158 contributions
Mar 2020
We stopped by at the end of one of our days sightseeing in Funchal just expecting to wander round but joined a short tour (6 euros) and were treated to a really interesting and informative hour being taught about the history of Madeira wine and Blandy's role in its production. Of course the tour ended with a tasting session and the inevitable cost of additional samples whilst we decided which version to purchase. One neat aspect is that they give the option of picking your wine up from a shop inside the airport beyond security so you can take it home in hand luggage. To be honest, there isn't a great deal of difference in price and you might even get lucky and find a deal at the airport so just do the tour. Since we were quite late visiting Blandy's we joined the last tour and didn't have any time to ourselves afterwards because they were closing. This was a shame because there was lots of information about Madeira wine and its production to read that I never got the chance to read. Hopefully I ca have more time when we next visit.
Written March 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex M
London, UK125 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
For €9.50 for the 45 minute tour, a good explanation of the wine making process, history of Blandy's, tour of the building and finally tasting of two types of Madeira wine. 10% off in the very reasonably priced shop helps. Some reviews I think are somewhat harsh - this is an overview tour with a taste... not sure what else you could want!
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patroni2013
Lincolnshire, UK170 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
Very informative with good guides to take you through the manufacturing process. We booked the 14.30 tour which was far too rushed and not enough time to see the great little museum, it would have been better to go for 10.30.
The price at €9.50 is not particularly good value for what you can see certainly during the 14.30 tour we did. Shame
The price at €9.50 is not particularly good value for what you can see certainly during the 14.30 tour we did. Shame
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bwyd
Jersey, UK255 contributions
Oct 2021
We undertook both the "Premium" and "Vintage" tours on a back to back basis. We found the "Vintage Tour" much more interesting and would recommend it if you only have time for one tour.
It gave us a much better understanding of the processes they follow, with the added bonus of being able to inspect closely the family's collection of vintage wine.
On the "Premium Tour" we were left by the guide, near the end, to look around a small museum. Much of what was displayed in the museum was covered in the booklet they had already given us when booking and which we had read before the tour.
Finally I must say we were disappointed with the service we received when booking. We had a query on the booking process for two tours and rang them 2 or 3 times. We couldn't get through and therefore emailed them 2 or 3 times. On the final occasion copying in their marketing team in the hope that they would pass our email on. Blandy's never responded, which we thought was very poor.
It gave us a much better understanding of the processes they follow, with the added bonus of being able to inspect closely the family's collection of vintage wine.
On the "Premium Tour" we were left by the guide, near the end, to look around a small museum. Much of what was displayed in the museum was covered in the booklet they had already given us when booking and which we had read before the tour.
Finally I must say we were disappointed with the service we received when booking. We had a query on the booking process for two tours and rang them 2 or 3 times. We couldn't get through and therefore emailed them 2 or 3 times. On the final occasion copying in their marketing team in the hope that they would pass our email on. Blandy's never responded, which we thought was very poor.
Written October 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andythebaggie
Birmingham, UK3,285 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
This was a must visit for me, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s an easy place to find on the main road right in the centre of Funchal town. We went on the 45 minute English speaking tour. Our tour guide was relatively new, and spoke perfect English. It was fascinating to see the huge barrels where the wine matures, as our guide talked about the production and varieties of Madeira Wine. Then there is a small walk through museum about the Blandy family and their business before the main event, the tasting. Two different wines sampled, both of very good quality, not just 3 year old wine. You get a 10% discount in the shop too where there is a wide range of produce and merch available.
Written September 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
taliward
Warwick, UK2,195 contributions
Oct 2020 • Couples
We booked the tickets in the morning at 10am for the first tour at 10:30am. We had to wear masks for the entire tour which is a normal thing nowadays but it isn't the most comfortable. However don't let this put you off. The total tour and tasting took about an hour and a half. At the end you will receive two tastings and then you have the option to buy more from the bar. There is a well stocked shop at the end and the staff are all lovely. The good thing is that you can buy things here and pick them up at the airport. A really informative tour and we learned lots about this very entrepreneurial family and how Madeira wine is made. I think we all want to come back next September when they have the Madeira wine festival!! A must when in Madeira.
Written November 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MyHomeIsMyself
London, UK39 contributions
Oct 2020 • Couples
Did the premium tour, which includes ten minutes in the museum detailing the life and accomplishments of the Blandys (interesting but left us with more questions). The tour guide did her best and was engaging, however the 'tasting' was a joke. Two random samples with absolutely no information about their characteristics; felt a bit pointless and we wondered why we'd bothered.
Not worth the money.
Not worth the money.
Written October 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Arden24
Market Harborough, UK628 contributions
Mar 2022
We booked the premium tour followed by the vintage tour. It is not advisable just to do the vintage tour as a stand alone as you won't know the wine making process which is covered in the premium tour. The building is very old with lots of stairs therefore this trip would not be suitable for people with mobility issues. Do feel free to take photos. Knowledgeable and friendly guide. As we did the 2 tours back to back we tasted 4 wines accompanied by plain crackers and a piece of 'fruit' cake.
Written March 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AvidTraveler12
Winchester, UK1,831 contributions
Feb 2023
Located in the centre of Funchal is Blandy's Wine lodge. Blandy's are the biggest producer of Madeira (a fortified wine) on the island of Madeira which is the only place in the world that it is produced.
Blandy's was created in 1811 by John Blandy, it remains a family business with I believe the 7th generation Blandy running the business.
There is a variety of tours you can take, I strongly recommend that you book ahead of time online because the tours are normally fully booked. The tours take you through the history and production of "Madeira" wine" and is followed by a tasting. There is a shop where you can buy Madeira, the older the vintage the more expensive the bottle.
The tour guides & support staff we encountered were very friendly & only to happy to answer questions.
Blandy's was created in 1811 by John Blandy, it remains a family business with I believe the 7th generation Blandy running the business.
There is a variety of tours you can take, I strongly recommend that you book ahead of time online because the tours are normally fully booked. The tours take you through the history and production of "Madeira" wine" and is followed by a tasting. There is a shop where you can buy Madeira, the older the vintage the more expensive the bottle.
The tour guides & support staff we encountered were very friendly & only to happy to answer questions.
Written February 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How long is the tours? How often does it run?
Written December 30, 2019
Less than an hour but worth the visit
Written December 31, 2019
Search for the place you want to review and scroll down to where the reviews are. It should then give you the option to “write a review”. It used to be much clearer on the old website and app but since the updates it is not as obvious. Good luck!
Written April 24, 2019
Do you have to book a tour of the Wine Lodge, how often do they run
Written April 14, 2018
4 tours per day and worth booking in advance to make sure aplaces are available
Written April 15, 2018
Hello
My partner is 60 in November this year. Can I buy 1957 Madeira? It was still in barrels when we visited in February this year.
Maggie
Written August 28, 2017
I know some maceira wines are not available I was looking for 1948 and they had not for sell and they told me only collectors will have xx
Written September 21, 2019
Has anyone rented one of the apartments associated with Blandys? I'm having trouble locating written reviews of the apartments apart from the wine tours. Thanks!
Written March 14, 2017
Just spent 4 days in one of the apartments. They are great, very well furnished, lots of space, no noise from surrounding areas. You will see lots of reviews on booking, not on tripadvisor
Written March 20, 2017
Do you have to pay for Blandy's wine tour?
Written June 19, 2016
Yes the tour is really a wine tasting but the big advantage is to buy your wine on the tour and you pick it up at the Airport and save on the airport price!!
Written June 30, 2016
Ho una bottiglia di vino piuttosto vecchia non so valutarne l'età né. Il valore. Dove posso inviare una foto per una valutazione? Grazie Maria
Written July 5, 2015
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