TV wine expert Olly Smith has created a pair of exclusive-access wine tour experiences at the world-renowned Blandy’s Wine Lodge in Madeira for P&O Cruises passengers calling at Funchal.
The tours will run across the entire fleet on selected 2017 cruises visiting Madeira and will offer behind-the scenes secrets on the craft of winemaking as well as tastings of the delicious varieties.
Olly, whose Glass House wine bar is a feature of several P&O ships, will lead one of the excursions. He said: “Whether you’re an absolute wine tasting beginner, or a seasoned pro, you’ll get the lowdown directly from the wine makers in these carefully crafted vineyard experiences. Combine your love of food and wine in a fabulous lunch-tour then step back on board and share your new-found knowledge with your friends over a glass or two.”
There are two ‘Taste of Madeira’ experiences:
Olly Smith’s Taste of Madeira: Join Food Hero Olly Smith and learn Madeira’s tastiest wine secrets accompanied by a few tipples from historic Blandy’s Wine Lodge to quench your thirst. Guests will enjoy exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Blandy’s Quinta Santa Luzia vineyards and Blandy’s Wine Lodge and private museum while Olly Smith shares the secrets of how the luscious local Madeira wines are made. Guests will also enjoy a wine tasting and a sumptuous lunch of local delicacies accompanied by a few glasses of wine.
A Taste of Madeira, a tour developed by Olly Smith: Learn Madeira’s tastiest secrets on an exclusive behind the scenes tour of Blandy’s Quinta Santa Luzia vineyards and Blandy’s Wine Lodge and explore the private museum. Chris Blandy or Blandy’s Madeira winemaker, Francisco Albuquerque, will teach guests the secrets of how the luscious local Madeira wines are made as they taste the world-class bottles selected by Olly Smith and tuck into locally sourced snacks. Guests will also receive an Olly Smith tasting notebook in which they can record their thoughts and will take home a copy of his book ‘Eat & Drink: Good Food That’s Great to Drink With’ as a memento of a wonderful experience.
P&O Cruises senior vice president Paul Ludlow added: “P&O Cruises takes guests to some of world’s greatest wine regions, where stunningly beautiful vineyards and wineries serve as the perfect backdrop for their food & wine adventure.
“Our local wine and culinary experiences are designed to give an authentic taste of the destination visited. These brand new wine tours from Olly Smith provide our guests with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn about Madeira’s tastiest secrets from one of the most respected and best loved wine experts in the world.”
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