Winery Overview
Fourth generation Madeira producer H.M. Borges was founded in 1877 by Henrique Menezes Borges. The current generation of the family, represented by cousins Helena and Isabel Borges, honor their past and the island itself through the production of Madeira Wine by maintaining high quality standards and continuing to produce Madeira wine following the traditions of their ancestors. Located in the capitol city Funchal, H.M. Borges concentrates its operational activity, from production to aging and bottling, in a centenary building constructed at the end of the 19th century. Operations have been centralized in this building since 1924. The temperature at their estate warms into the high 80s (+/-86˚F: +/-30˚C) in the summer and is no cooler than 65 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. The heat and the sun on the building support the canteiro process of heating the wine in oak casks beginning in the upper floors of their three-story building. The quality of their wines results from the Borges’ family knowledge and their winemaker who has 40 years of experience making Madeira wine. The Borges buy fruit from small producers around the island who their family has built relationships with over generations. Their grapes are sourced from varying locations around the island at 100 – 800 meters about sea level, depending on the site. The soils are volcanic and clay and the fruit is hand pruned and hand harvested. The Borges are one of only eight bottlers left on the island of Madeira. The other producers consist of other families as well as larger international producers. H.M. Borges produces around 200,000 bottles per year and their permanent line of products include 3-, 5-, 10-, and 15-year-old Madeira. They also produce some special bottles and limited blend wines, made with the oldest stocks of the Borges family and in wines from a single year of harvest (Frasqueiras/Garrafeiras: Madeira wines aged for at least 20 years in oak) that express the richness of Madeira wine.