Miles

THE HISTORY 

Established in 1814 on Madeira Island, and known originally as Rutherford & Grant, Miles Madeira is one of the oldest and most respected brands of Madeira wine worldwide. In 1856, Henry Price Miles immigrated from Wales to Madeira. On the island he worked as an apprentice from the age of 12 under the tutelage of James Rutherford. During this time, he acquired knowledge and experience of the workings of the Madeira trade. In 1872, the Rutherfords left for London (due to Phylloxera which decimated most of the vineyards in Madeira) and started a wine importing business at the Old Trinity House in Waterlane. The departure of the Rutherfords prompted Miles to purchase their company, Rutherford & Grant, and rename it H.P. Miles & Co. His relationship with his former tutor led to a gentleman’s agreement with him, stating that any Madeira sold by the Rutherfords importing business in the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, or Russia, would be bought through H. P. Miles & Co. This agreement was respected and carried out until the Rutherfords sold their importing firm in the 1960s. Alongside the production of wine, H. P. Miles founded the first Madeiran brewery in 1872 called the “Atlantic Brewery”. It was through these two companies that Henry Price and his two sons, Henry Alfred and Charles Vaughan, created the Miles legacy on the island. After the end of World War II, conditions in the wine trade became extremely difficult, and so Henry Alfred Miles’ son, Cecil Miles, negotiated the entry of H. P. Miles and Co. into the Madeira Wine Association. Today, Miles Madeira is synonymous with excellent Madeira wine and has become one of the best known and most respected brands in the world. 

SUSTAINABILITY 

Miles Madeira is committed to preserving the natural environment, reducing their ecological footprint, and leading sustainable initiatives in the wine industry. Today, Miles Madeira Rainwater bottles are lighter, eco-friendly, and made with less glass. The bartops are also sourced sustainably. THE TERROIR Madeira is rich and diverse in terroirs. As a volcanic island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the vineyards are exposed to the ocean breeze and the grapes from vineyards planted at lower levels can show saline and iodine notes. The soils are acidic, rich in mineral, iron, and phosphorous, and poor in potassium, which all contribute to the trademark acidity of the wine. In fact, the acidity is one of the most remarkable assets of the wines, allowing this unique wine to keep fresh even after having been bottled for many years. Irrigation is provided by an ancient system of canals called levadas that brings water from the mountains down to the agricultural plots then out to the ocean. 

THE GRAPE 

Tinta Negra Negramoll was thought to be a native variety of the Canaries and Madeira (under the name Tinta Negra Mole), where it was already widespread in the 19th century. However, recent DNA studies have shown that Negramoll is identical to Mollar, an old variety from Andalucia, possibly from Cadiz where it was first mentioned in 1787. It is therefore likely that this variety was introduced from Andalucia to the Canaries and to Madeira in or before the 18th century. Here it was given the name Negramoll or (Tinta) Negra Mole (officially Tinta Negra since 2000), based on the old Andalusian synonym of Mollar Negro. Under the name Tinta Negra, the variety dominates on Madeira. According to official statistics there were just 685 acres in 2009, cultivated in Funchal and Câmara de Lobos in the south and São Vincente in the north. It is by far the most widely planted varietal on the island and represents between 80-85% of all wine produced on Madeira. (The second is Verdelho with 116 acres). This dominance was particularly marked when Phylloxera hit the island in 1872, when growers preferred to plant the more robust dark-skinned Tinta Negra Mole, rather than the light-skinned white varietals. Miles specializes in producing a full range of Tinta Negra Madeira wines using sustainable methods, ranging from 3-Years-Old Dry to Vintage Rich. These wines showcase the quality, uniqueness, and exciting potential of the Tinta Negra grape.