Verdelho, which has been planted extensively throughout Madeira since at least the 17th Century and may have actually originated from the island, is made in the medium-dry style. The fermentation process begins with ambient yeast and is arrested after about 4 days by the fortification process to achieve the desired degree of sweetness. The wines are then blended and aged in American oak casks at the family’s Lodge in Funchal via the traditional ‘Canteiro’ system, whereby the wine is gradually transferred from the higher floors where the temperatures are higher, to the middle floors and eventually to the ground floor where temperatures are cooler. This process is critical in transforming the primary fruit flavors into the tertiary dried fruit, hazelnut and mahogany notes that are the hallmark of this style of Madeira. Blandy's 10 year old Verdelho can be served slightly chilled as an aperitif but also pairs incredibly well with soups, oysters, feathered game and pates.