If you’re visiting Porto and have even the faintest interest in wine (or like to learn about how things are made), then you can’t skip the chance to visit a port wine house for a tasting tour. Across the Douro River from Porto lie almost two dozen historic port wine cellars and warehouses, where the humid conditions close to the sea have been part of this fortified wine’s history for centuries.
I live in Lisbon, so each time I visit Porto with friends I try to join wine tours to a different cellar to explore behind the scenes, enter the ageing rooms to see the giant barrels, and taste the most precious port wine at the source. Even though I’ve done a handful of port wine tours, I’ve found each one super interesting and offering something a little bit different. Below I’ll share both my personal experiences of port wine tastings and tours – because I know how intimidating it can be to choose from two dozen port wine tours!
No time to read this article? Here’s the essence…
– My top pick is Cockburn’s Tawny Tasting & Tour. The tawny tasting is the best introduction to the world of port wine.
– My second pick is Graham’s. Go for the premium tasting or essentials tour – or if you prefer private, the super premium tasting includes a 40-year-old tawny! Epic.
Under that you’ll find a list of all the Port wine tasting tours you can join in Vila Nova de Gaia (across the river from Porto), along with some drop-in tasting rooms. I’ve also included a list of some other port wine producers and brands that don’t have an operating cellar door in Gaia – you’ll likely have to visit them in the Douro Valley.
Why is Porto famous for wine?
Why is this big coastal city famous for wine? Porto is the birthplace of port wine (vinho do Porto), a sweet fortified wine known and loved worldwide. The 400-and-something-year-old story of port wine begins in the Douro Valley, one of the world’s oldest demarcated wine regions, where sun-drenched vineyards produce exceptional grapes. The port wine made upstream in the Douro Valley, about a two-hour drive from Porto, is always transported to Porto – or more accurately, Vila Nova de Gaia – where it ages silently in the humid, coastal atmosphere in huge wooden casks.
Read next… Guide to the best Douro Valley wine tours from Porto
Where are the port wine houses in Porto?
Well, technically they are not in Porto. The port cellars are all in Vila Nova de Gaia, the city set on the southern bank of the Douro River. The river is fairly narrow, so the cellars are easy to reach by foot, Uber, Metro or bus from the city. You also get to enjoy stunning views back to Porto’s skyline.
The best port wine tasting tours (that I’ve actually done)
My top pick: Cockburn’s
When my brother came to visit, I decided we’d go to Cockburn’s (pronounced “co-burn”) for a port wine tasting and tour as they have the only cooperage left in Gaia. Verdict? I really loved it.
➡️ Book here: Cockburn’s Tawny Tasting & Tour
While the sound of coopers bang, bang, banging oak barrels together used to ring out across Vila Nova de Gaia, these days it’s just Cockburn’s. The skilled coopers are constantly repairing barrels for the Symington family, who own a handful of other port wine brands too. Sadly I visited a couple of days before Christmas, and since the job of a cooper is very physically demanding (hello 19th century tools) they had been given some extra days off (sad for me, not for them!).
Despite the slight disappointment of not seeing the coopers at work, I thought the tour was great. Carolina, our guide, was super knowledgeable and it didn’t feel like she was reading a script. I’m that person on tours asking a million questions (blame my journalism degree), and she had in-depth and interesting answers for anything I threw at her.
If you arrive early you can explore a small museum – in English and Portuguese – to learn more about the brand’s history and some quirky facts (like how a São João balloon set the roof on fire in the 1980s and they lost some stock).
Once ready, we set off into the cellar past a handful of huge wooden casks each with 36,000 litres of ruby port ageing. You’ll learn lots. Cockburn’s is the largest producer of port wine in the world. The oldest wine still on wood is a 1937 colheita. The oldest bottle in the family’s private collection is from 1861.
Carolina showed us a map of the Douro Valley, explaining the specifics of the terroir and what makes the climate what it is. She pointed out the sub-regions and mentioned how Dow’s, a sibling brand grown in the Baixo Corgo sub-region, has a drier profile, while Graham’s and Cockburn’s grapes are grown in the Douro Superior area, deeper in the valley, making them a lot sweeter. She also showed us a piece of schist stone, the special rock found in the valley that holds heat overnight and is essential to grape production in this climate.
Cockburn’s port wine tasting experience
Full of knowledge and thirst, we make it to the tasting room. I’d booked the Cockburn’s Tawny Tasting & Tour on GetYourGuide so we sat down to a tasting mat with the special reserva, 10-year-old and 20-year-old tawny ports. It was good fun tasting the big differences in flavour, scent and even texture.
Cockburn’s isn’t set right on the river in Gaia, which I think is a good thing. I’ve been to others where you feel more like a number as they push through a tour every half hour in a different language. The disadvantage is that the cellar and tasting room didn’t have a view of Porto or the river (but there are loads of riverfront restaurants with views).
Address: Rua de Serpa Pinto 346 – Vila Nova de Gaia
➡️ Book here: Cockburn’s Tawny Tasting & Tour
Graham’s
The first port wine house I visited, way back in January 2019, was Graham’s. This port wine brand was founded in 1820 by two brothers – William and John Graham – who started one of the world’s most well-known port wine names.
The tour was fantastic. You get to explore Graham’s lodge and the old cellar, which was built in 1890, and learn a lot in the process. The guide gave a really detailed explanation about the difference between ruby, tawny and white ports. It was a great introduction to port wines and an amazing experience to explore the historic cellars.
The other delightful advantage is the location of Graham’s. While it’s not down by the riverfront, the lodge has sweeping panoramic views of both Gaia and Porto’s riverfront from the terrace. It’s a magic place to sit in the late afternoon and take in the scenery.
➡️ Book here: Tour with premium tasting, essentials tour, or private tour with super premium tasting
Graham’s port wine tasting experiences
There are a few different Graham’s tastings you can book, with the major difference often being which ports you’ll have the chance to sample. With the tour and premium tasting you’ll try the Graham’s LBV paired with chocolate, Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos paired with cheese, and Graham’s 20-year-old paired with a pastel de nata.
The essentials tour gives a four-port line-up includes the Graham’s Blend Nº5 White, Graham’s Six Grapes, Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port, and Graham’s 30-Year-Old Tawny.
There’s also a private experience, where you’ll enjoy the tasting in the special vintage room. It’s a little more pricey but not unreasonable – though rather than the most basic private one I’d pay the €10 more for the “super premium” tasting that includes Graham’s Single Harvest 1997, Graham’s 30-year-old Tawnies, and Graham’s 40-year-old. Now that would be a treat!
Address: Rua do Agro 141 – Vila Nova de Gaia
➡️ Book here: Tour with premium tasting, essentials tour, or private tour with super premium tasting
Ramos Pinto
I’ve always enjoyed the vintage advertising posters of Ramos Pinto, a port wine house started in 1880 by Adriano Ramos Pinto. Senhor Adriano was a smart guy when it came to marketing. His bold, artistic, and sensual posters brought plenty of attention to his high-quality Port wines.
On the cellar tour we got to explore his old office, learning about how he revolutionised wine marketing in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I found it interesting and funny to hear about how controversial their provocative posters and art were at the time.
Ramos Pinto is set in a beautiful multi-storey yellow manor house right on the riverfront. After exploring the antique offices and wine cellars, we were led to a beautiful tasting room on the upper floors, with uninterrupted views of the river and Porto.
Address: Av. de Ramos Pinto 380 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Read next… Where to stop between Porto and the Douro Valley
List of all the Port houses opens for wine tastings
So there are at least 18 port wine houses and cellars on the Vila Nova de Gaia side of the Douro River open for a wine tasting.
I’ll list them all below so you can see your options, then under that you can find a map of them all to explore. Some are an easy walk from Ribeira in Porto, others are a little further and you might need an Uber or Bolt!
Historic heavyweights: Port wine cellars with 200+ years of history
Burmester
You’ll find the Caves Burmester, founded in 1750, at the foot of the Dom Luis I Bridge, making it the easiest port wine cellar to access if you’re staying in Porto. Burmester is part of the Sogevinus group.
Address: Largo Dom Luís I – Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine tasting: Book Burmester here
Casa Ferreira
The story of Casa Ferreira stretches back to 1751. Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira was a legendary Portuguese businesswoman well ahead of her time. At the age of 33, the widow took over and developed the family business. The 19th century wasn’t exactly a time for women to be negotiating deals, but there she was investing in new wine innovations. In 2026 Porto will open a bridge named in her honour. Now part of the Sogrape group.
Address: Avenida Ramos Pinto, 70 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Porto wine tours: Details here, or book a private tour and tasting
Taylor’s
The Taylor’s cellar is one of the oldest Porto wine houses, founded back in 1692. You’ll likely recognise the name of this popular brand, and it has an ace location with gorgeous views of Porto. You can tour the 300-year-old cellar at your own pace on a self-guided tour using an audio guide. After you can taste three ports.
Address: Rua do Choupelo, 250 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Porto wine tours: Self-guided tour & tasting, or pair the tour with a visit to the Wine Museum
Did you know… Taylor’s also has a tasting room in Lisbon too. You can book a guided tasting of port wines and learn about this style of wine.
Kopke
Kopke is the Douro region’s oldest port wine house – established in 1638. It started when a German native arrived in Portugal and started a wine exporting business, then in 1781 the family bought vineyards in the Douro Valley. Now part of the Sogevinus group.
Address: Avenida Diogo Leite, 312 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine tasting: In Gaia there is a small tasting room – drop in early to get a seat.
Read more… How to spend 48 hours in Porto
Real Companhia Velha
The royal charter of King D. José I led to the founding of Real Companhia Velha back in 1756, and now it’s the oldest Portuguese port wine house. From five vineyards in the Douro Valley, grapes are sourced to create port wine that is stored in the quiet cellars at Gaia. You can visit the casks, giant barrels, and vats where the wine rests for decades, letting time do its work. On a tasting tour you’ll see the private wine cellar of the Silva Reis family, including rare vintage ports, with the oldest dating back to 1765.
Address: Rua Azevedo Magalhães, 314 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Porto wine tours: Classic tour or Premium tour, both include 4 ports
Sandeman
You might recognise “The Don”, the Sandeman mascot that wears a long black cape and traditional hat. This logo defines the Sandeman Wine Cellars, which opened in 1790. I always love seeing the vintage advertising mural on the Porto side of the river. Apparently the guides take tours wearing capes, which adds to the drama of this top-rated port house. Part of the Sogrape group.
Address: Larga Miguel Bombarda 3 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine tasting: Half-a-dozen tasting options
Read next… Where to eat in Porto
19th- and 20th-century port wine houses
Poças
Poças is one of the only remaining wine lodges in Gaia still owned and run by a Portuguese family. It’s not on the riverfront – so you might want to take a taxi or rideshare to this cellar. I like that you can choose from tasting three ports, or a mix of two table wines and two ports at the end.
Address: Rua Visconde das Devesas, 168 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Porto wine tours: Tour with 3 ports, or tour with 2 wines, 2 ports
Calém
If you’re in a hurry, Calém’s port wine tour is just a quick 30-minute one, plus you’ll have time to explore an interactive museum and taste two wines. But Calém’s coolest experience is the port wine tasting with a fado show. It’s just once per day – you’ll still tour the winery, but after you’ll taste the two wines while experiencing fado, a melancohlic music style from Lisbon. Double culture tick! Calém is now part of the Sogevinus group.
Address: Avenida de Diogo Leite, 344 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Porto wine tours: Museum & tour, tour with fado music show (6pm or 6.30pm), or chocolate, cheese & wine tasting
Churchill’s Lodge
Opened in 1981, family-run Churchill’s is the relative “newcomer” to port wine, but it has deep roots. Johnny Graham, son of the famous Graham’s family, dared to launch his own brand to create a drier, different style of port wine. Now it’s the last remaining independent British port house.
Address: Rua da Fonte Nova, 5 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine tasting: Besides the usual tasting, Churchill’s offers a Tawny Blender’s Session, where you’ll play winemaker and get to craft your own signature 20-year-old tawny port. You’ll taste cask samples and leave with your hand-filled 200ml bottle.
Fonseca Port Wine Cellars
Fonseca is a popular Port wine house, founded in 1815, known for its vintage ports. On the Gaia side of the Douro River you can drop in for a wine tasting and tour the 200-year-old cellars. Or, in the evening enjoy a traditional fado music show with two port wines.
Address: Rua do Choupelo, 54 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine tasting: Simple tour and tasting, or a cool fado experience and tasting in the cellar (with optional dinner)
➡️ Port wine walking tour: I found this really well-priced Port wine walking tour that allows you to sample 10 wines and tour three port cellars with a guide. You’ll visit the cellars of Vasques De Carvalho and Fonseca, tasting five ports before trying Douro Valley table wines too.
Porto Augusto’s
The Augusto family has been involved in the port wine business since the 1970s, but it was only in 2014 that three generations banded together to open their own brand. Now the entirely Portuguese-owned port house opens the Gaia cellar to visits, where you can join a short 20-minute tour to learn about port, then taste port wine made from grapes grown at one of two family vineyards.
Address: Rua da França 10 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine tasting: Book via the website
Read next… Best tiles in Porto: Where to find Porto’s most beautiful azulejos
Niepoort Wine Cellar
If you like it exclusive, Niepoort is your cellar to tour. Part of Niepoort’s brand is doing things differently – as it has done since 1842 – and each day it only opens to a maximum of 24 people. Since there are more than a dozen other cellars open to visits in the Porto wine district, Niepoort only opened its “temple” in 2021 with the goal to keep the experience authentic (cobwebs and all).
Address: Rua de Serpa Pinto 278 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine tasting: Book via the website
Port wine tasting rooms in Gaia
The following port wine houses don’t offer cellar tours – instead you can drop by the cellar doors in Vila Nova de Gaia opposite Porto where you can join guided tastings or simply enjoy a drink!
Quevedo
Quevedo is run by two Portuguese brothers and has a really beautiful space in a 200-year-old warehouse that used to be a cooperage. The cellar isn’t open for visits – instead there are a range of experiences and guided tastings on offer, or you can drop in for a drink and food. The friendly staff are super knowledgeable and will explain in detail what you’re tasting.
Address: Rua de Santa Marinha, 77 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine tastings: Port wine discovery tasting, Port wine and cheese pairing
Quinta do Bom Dia
Five generations of the same family have been producing port wine under the Quinta do Bom Dia name. It’s a more boutique port house, with just 25 hectares of vines in the Douro Valley. And it sounds like you can drop into the cellar door in Gaia without a reservation.
Address: Rua Guilherme Gomes Fernandez, 54 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine tasting: Reservations not required, tours leave every 30 minutes.
Vasques de Carvalho
Vasques de Carvalho has an estate in the heart of the Douro Valley where the best grapes become port wines. While the Carvalho family’s story started back in the 19th century, this is relatively new brand and you can drop by the modern tasting room in Gaia to sample ports.
Address: Tv. do Ribeirinho 19 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine tasting: Drop into the tasting house
Caves Porto Vasconcellos
Back in 1879, founder José Teixeira Pinto Vasconcellos started exporting wines. Fast forward to today, and while the brand is now owned by Christie’s, the Douro wineries produce some 30,000 litres of wine annually from almost seven hectares. From the tasting room in Gaia, you’ll enjoy views over Porto and the Douro River while sipping on your choice of Ports.
Address: Av. Diogo Leite, 8 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine tasting: Email for a tasting tour
Read next… Guide to the best Douro Valley wine tours from Porto
Quinta do Noval
This estate dates back to 1715, but it was only in 1894 that Quinta do Noval gained a reputation for fine Port wines. You can drop into the casual tasting room of Quinta do Noval, complete with waterfront views of Porto.
Address: Av. de Diogo Leite 256 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine tasting: Drop into the bar
Espaço Porto Cruz
Visiting Espaço Porto Cruz is an experience. This port wine brand has turned an entire five-storey building by Gaia’s riverfront into a space where you can join wine tastings, visit an interactive museum, and take in the sunset from the rooftop bar. There are dozens of ways to experience port wines from Porto Cruz (and sister brand Dalva) within the building.
Address: Largo Miguel Bombarda 23 – Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine tasting: Drop into the bar
Read next… Tile of the day: Porto’s famous São Bento Station
Map of all the Port wine houses in Vila Nova de Gaia
Other port wine brands
I’ve dug deep to find more port wine houses. The below brands do not have cellar doors in Gaia or Porto, so you may have to venture out to the Douro Valley to try these ports, or source them at a bottle shop.
There are a handful of big players in the port game – Sogrape, Symington Family, Sogevinus, Taylor’s Fladgate – that seem to hold the lion’s share of these historic companies. There are a few more not listed here that they own but I’m not sure if those labels still produce port wine.
- Warre’s – established 1670
- Croft – founded in 1588
- Osborne – family run, founded in 1722
- Barros – founded 1913, now owned by Sogevinus group
- Dona Matilde – founded 2006 by Barros family
- Wine & Soul – founded in 2001
- Hutcheson – established 1881
- Krohn – founded 1865, known for Vintage Ports and ‘Colheitas’
- Blackett
- Romariz – established 1850
- Quinta do Crasto
- Barão de Vilar
- Maynard’s
- Feuerheerd’s – founded in 1815
- Andresen
Other questions about port wine and Porto
Where else can you make port wine?
Literally nowhere. It’s like Champagne. While you can drink sparkling wine from other regions, only bubbles from Champagne region can be called that. Other places make fortified wines, but port wine will always come from the Douro Valley, aged in Vila Nova de Gaia.
Is it worth doing a port wine tasting tour in Porto?
Absolutely yes. Port wine is a drink with centuries of tradition, and you can visit some of the oldest port wine houses to tour the historic cellars and taste rich ruby and tawny ports while learning about different styles and what they mean. Even if you’re not big on port wines – or are unsure – I think it’s fascinating to learn about how the drink is made and its heritage.
Read next… The best tile painting workshops in Porto
How far is the Douro wine region from Porto?
The Douro Valley wine region is about 75 to 100 kilometers (47 to 62 miles) east of Porto, depending on where you start exploring. By car, it takes roughly 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the heart of this breathtaking valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
You can read my guide on where to stop between Porto and the Douro Valley if you’d like to make the journey out there. There are lots of wine day trips from Porto out to the Douro Valley, though if you have more time it’s worth making a weekender of it!
Where do the locals eat in Porto?
Tascas and sandwich bars! I’ve got a great blog about where to eat in Porto that includes tried-and-tested local spots like O Buraco, which is perfect for comforting home-style lunch dishes, or Conga for a spicy bifana.
Planning to join one of these port wine tours and tastings in Porto? Let me know about your experiences in the comments…
Keep reading
- Guide to the best Douro Valley wine tours from Porto
- Where to stop between Porto and the Douro Valley
- How to spend 48 hours in Porto
- Best tiles in Porto: Where to find Porto’s most beautiful azulejos
- Where to eat in Porto
- Tile of the day: Porto’s famous São Bento Station
- The best tile painting workshops in Porto
