Half-Day Small-Group Wine Tour in Madeira

Susana was the nicest and very personable. She arrived on time to pick us up and was a great driver. She gave us a lot of info about the island and gave us tips on where to explore. Would recommend!

The winery was beautiful, but note that on Madeira the "wineries" only grow the grapes. They all send them to a central facility to be pressed, fermented and bottled, so there are no wine making operations to see. Tasted 6 wines with cheese, toasts, and cured meats, and were invited to spend as much time as we wanted after the tasting to sit, pour another glass of any we tasted and enjoy the scenery. We didn't have any control over the pacing of the winery tour. After the last tasting was poured and we got back in the van it, was about 25 minutes later than the driver originally recommended. We got to Cabo Girao which was fortunately not crowded, spent 15-20 minutes checking out the views and glass floor over the cliff. Got back to the van ready to see the last planned stop at Cabo da Roca, but the driver announced "time is up" and brought us back to our hotels. I understand they probably have timing issues if there are later tours to be accommodated, but they really should have made sure the guide at the winery knew our schedule. Better yet, if you are considering this tour, consider doing a winery tour separately from other sight seeing tours. The wineries are all located in very remote areas up very winding roads, and should be enjoyed thoroughly and un-rushed. Many offer a full day with lunch. Also note that there is a difference between "Madeira wine" and "wine made in Madeira". This winery produces regular table wine, not fortified Madeira, so whatever you book, make sure it's the wine and winery type you're specifically interested in.

Susannah picked us up at our hotel on time and we drove straight out to the winery. The route was a little windy and the last bit was very bumpy but Susannah coped with all the conditions very well. She was very informative and we learned a lot about the island as she drove. The winery itself was in beautiful countryside. The tour was very well organised. We tried six wines (very little food provided with which to try it and the actual tasting was a little rushed as there was a big party coming in after us). We we’re offered another full glass of any of the 6 wines after, too. After this we went onto the glass bridge and then onto a little fishing village where Churchill apparently painted. The stops here were very brief which suited us. We were home by 6:20 pm after starting out at 2.pm. Good value, interesting tour.