Two casks of Madeira wine traveled for five months aboard the NRP Sagres ship as part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Independence of the United States. The voyage served to represent Portugal in this commemorative event, visiting various North American, Bermuda and Azores ports.
The casks returned today to Funchal with the wine visibly transformed by the journey. According to the analysis carried out, the wine is more full-bodied and aged than when it departed, a direct result of the travel conditions and time spent at sea.
The casks were unsealed today at the Madeira Wine Institute, in a ceremony that marked the official return of this special cargo. The accelerated aging process of the wine during the maritime voyage provided unique characteristics that would normally take much longer to develop.



