Madeira Wine Flight at La Tourelle: A Sommelier-Led Tasting in Ithaca

At La Tourelle Hotel and Spa in Ithaca, New York, "Wines of Madeira: Steeped in History, Fortified by Tradition" is a focused two-hour tasting that traces an island's maritime past through five fortified wines. Led by Certified Sommelier Laura Winter Falk, the experience unpacks Madeira’s signature styles—Sercial, Rainwater, Tinta Negra, Boal, and Malvasia—across a flight curated with bottles from Vinhos Barbeito. Visitors sample Barbeito Sercial Colheita 2017, Rainwater Reserva Meio Seco, a 2015 Tinta Negra colheita, a 10-year Boal Reserva Velha, and a 2011 Malvasia Colheita while learning tasting technique, food-pairing logic, and the legal and cultural history that made Madeira globally essential.

Set in La Tourelle Hotel and Spa’s banquet space, the tasting keeps groups intentionally small—typically six to fourteen—so conversation can run both technical and anecdotal. The room’s quiet warmth and hotel provenance create a perfect environment for sensory focus: glassware, poured flights, and written notes replace the distractions of a larger classroom. This is an experience for curious drinkers who want context with their corks, not a casual sip-and-go.

What makes the session stand out locally is its linkage between Ithaca’s foodie culture and an island style rarely featured in upstate New York. Madeira’s unique vinification—oxidative aging in heated environments and grapes grown on volcanic slopes with heavy Atlantic influence—produces a range from bone-dry to lusciously sweet that challenges typical wine assumptions. That volcanic, maritime character is highlighted during the tasting and anchored by sommelier stories about Madeira’s role in 18th- and 19th-century trade, colonial law, and American history.

Practical details are simple: the two-hour class starts downstairs at La Tourelle Hotel and Spa, and attendees must be 21 or older. Pre-registration and payment are required ahead of time to meet class minimums; food pairings are available from La Tourelle’s menu for an additional charge. The pace balances education with enjoyment—expect guided nosing, palate calibration, and a short Q&A rather than exhaustive technical lectures.

For travelers in Ithaca seeking an intimate, expertly guided tasting that connects a global wine story to local hospitality, this Madeira-focused seminar delivers depth in a compact, welcoming format. It’s an ideal stop for wine students, culinary tourists, and anyone who values narrative-driven tasting where each glass arrives with a reason and a history.

Bookings typically cost $45 per person and fulfill both casual curiosity and continuing-education needs; La Tourelle’s intimate setting makes the tasting a natural prelude to dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. Arrive 5–10 minutes early to settle in; the host asks that payment be completed one week prior when minimums are confirmed. The session’s structure—ordered samples from drier to sweeter, guided palate clearing between pours, and a final pairing discussion—leaves participants able to identify Madeira styles on their own after the class. Bring questions.