Port Wine Cellars in Gaia: Which to Visit, Prices and Tastings
Facing the Ribeira on the south bank of the Douro, Vila Nova de Gaia has housed the cellars where port wine matures for centuries. The wine is born in the Douro valley, but it is here, in warehouses called "lodges", that it ages in barrels and large vats before being bottled. About ten houses welcome visitors, all a few minutes' walk across the Dom Luís I bridge. A visit usually lasts an hour and ends with a tasting of two or three ports. The big names differ mainly in their history, location and atmosphere rather than in the principle, which is the same everywhere.
Highlights
Cálem, the cellar on the waterfront
Located on Avenida Diogo Leite, at the foot of the bridge, it is the cellar closest to the cable car and the landing stage: you can walk in from the quay with no effort. Its visit combines the cellars with a museum trail on the history of the house and ends with a tasting. It is the simplest choice if you only have an hour.
Taylor's, the cellar on the heights
Taylor's is on Rua do Choupelo, on the hillside, with a garden open to the Douro. The visit uses an audio guide in thirteen languages. According to the house's FAQ, the adult ticket costs €25, with three ports and the audio guide; entry is free for children under 8 and €9 from 8 to 17. Booking is not compulsory for the audio-guide visit.
The cellars
Under the vaults, oak barrels and large vats line up by the hundred. The port ages there to develop its aromas: young and fruity as a ruby, amber and dry as a tawny aged in cask for 10, 20, 30 or 40 years. The wine is fortified during fermentation by adding grape brandy, which stops the fermentation and keeps some residual sugar.
Sandeman and its black silhouette
On Largo Miguel Bombarda, the house carries the emblem of a figure in a black cape and hat, one of the best-known silhouettes in Gaia. It can be spotted from afar, just above the quay.
Ramos Pinto and the others
Graham's, Ferreira, Ramos Pinto and Cockburn's also welcome visitors. Each has its own style: some emphasise the old setting, others the guided tasting.
The rabelo boats
These square-sailed boats moored in front of the cellars used to carry barrels from the valley to Gaia before the dams were built. Today they serve as signs for the houses, and their regatta takes place every year for São João.
Opening hours and prices
Each house sets its own hours and prices: check the cellar's website before you go. Allow 1 hour for a visit and tasting, and plan to walk from one cellar to another in a few minutes for the houses on the quay. At Taylor's, the adult ticket is €25 according to the house's FAQ.
Practical info
Tips
- Do not visit more than two cellars in the same day: the tastings add up. Book ahead in summer and at weekends for guided visits in French or English, and always ask whether the tasting is included in the price before you buy. The cellars closest to the quay are the busiest; going up the hill (Taylor's, Graham's), the crowds are smaller and the views are better. To get back, the Dom Luís I bridge can be crossed on foot by both decks. See also: Gaia Cable Car, WOW – World of Wine, Porto in 3 days.
How to get there
Vila Nova de Gaia, on the south bank of the Douro, opposite the Ribeira. From the Ribeira, cross the Dom Luís I bridge on foot by the lower deck, 5 to 10 minutes to the Gaia quay. By metro, line D (yellow) to Jardim do Morro station, then walk down to the quay. The Gaia cable car links the upper deck of the bridge to the quay, at the foot of the cellars.
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