Spirits of Independence - Hill-Physick House – Madeira in Colonial America

Join us in exploring early drink in Philadelphia with Spirits of Independence. Oct 16 2026 - Hill-Physick House, Society Hill. 6:30 pm Henry Hill, who built the house, was a patriot and a madeira importer. The vast majority of wine imported into colonies during the revolutionary period was madeira, and this wine was being drunk in homes and taverns across the colonies. Our speakers Mannie Berk and Aaron Nix-Gomez have collaborated for nearly 15 years in unraveling the history of Madeira from its earliest days until the present. Their greatest focus has been on how Madeira was purchased and consumed in America in the 18th and 19th centuries, to understand just how it came to be the most coveted wine in this country. Tasting of Madeira Wines. Purchase tickets to the next events in the series below: Grumblethorpe - Colonial Wine Trade Powel House – The Brewing of Porter in Colonial America Historic Waynesborough – The Colonial Rum Trade