Henriques & Henriques

Founded in 1850 in Câmara de Lobos, a municipality on the island of Madeira, the Henriques & Henriques winery has played a very important role in the winemaking tradition for more than two hundred years. Madeira represents an obligatory stop for enthusiasts: in fact, the homonymous fortified wine is produced in the area, known and appreciated throughout the world since the 1600s. Consider that the American declaration of independence was sanctioned with a glass of this precious product. It is, therefore, a wine with a centuries-old history, a strong point of the local economy and which has always been exported outside the European continent. The Henriques & Henriques company, founded on the initiative of the noble entrepreneur João Gonçalves Henriques, uses a production method capable of blending tradition and innovation. The wine is heated in special rooms, called "estufas", thus taking on a flavor similar to that of burnt caramel. This technique was born from a very specific awareness that has its roots in the 17th century: Madeira tasted better after being transported in the warm holds of ships. Furthermore, the basic white is fortified by adding alcohol, in order to preserve the correct dose of natural sugars. These historic processes are combined with an ever-present desire for innovation, aimed at speeding up production operations and limiting consumption and waste. The cultivation of vineyards occurs on soils rich in mineral salts, in particular magnesium, and is favored by advantageous climatic conditions. Temperatures are mild throughout the year and there are never excessive temperature variations. At the Henriques & Henriques winery, the Tinta Negra vine is almost always used, the most widespread on the island, from which illustrious wines such as the Madeira Full Rich 5 years and the Madeira Full Rich 3 years are obtained. The intense Madeira 10 years is instead made from Malvasia grapes, most likely originating from Malta.