After I told you the Top vineyards in the Douro Valley as well as given you an Ultimate Guide to Understanding Port Wine, there was only a guide missing: Top Port wine cellars. Vila Nova de Gaia Contact: +351 223 776 484 Graham’s, a Port wine brand founded by two Scottish brothers in 1820, is an elegant and selective choice, ideal for those eager to escape the crowds of the riverside. In Graham’s, the tour begins with a short video of 10 minutes, followed by a professional and informative tour, so that we get to know not only the history of the Symington family, but also to understand in depth the different types of Port wine. One of the things I most enjoyed is that I never felt that we were being “rushed” to leave by the guide – which is one of the reasons why I consider Graham’s one of the top Port wine cellars! A proof in the private room was the perfect end to my (first of many) experience at the magnificent Graham’s. visit to the cellar + tasting in the Main Room vary between [10;15]€,depending on the type & number of Port Wines.

Port wine tastings in the Private Room vary between [25 ; 100]€buy wine selection PT, EN, FR, ES, IT, DE, RUS, JPN and CHNbest french wine regions to the European Unioncheap white wine singapore Rua Barão de Forrester, 412best wine shop chicago Contact: +351 220 109 825best cheap wine spain The visit to Croft, was a divine experience that. one hope wine 2012As Croft is less accessible than the cellars by the riverside, it has fewer people, which gives you the feeling of having unique experience, which I personally value a lot.best winery tours in ny

Before the tour starts you’re treated with a Croft Pink (it’s a rosé Port wine, the first to be introduced in the market, in 2008) and a Ruby, just to introduce you to Port wine flavours, and then it moves on to the tour itself.best white wine with red meat After the tour, a 10 years old Tawny is the perfect closing to a wonderful summer morning at Croft. wine by year chart(By the way, and take my words for it: ask for a chocolate tasting to go along with your Port wines at Croft. 10am – 6pm. Bookings through turismo.croft@croft.pt the visit to the cellar + 3 Port wine tastings costs 10€. On the top of that, you can ask for chocolate, cheese or almonds’ tastings, paid separately. PT, EN, FR and ES to Europe, USA, Australia, New Zealand and some Asian countries Rua da Fonte Nova, 5.

Vila Nova de Gaia Contact: +351 223 703 641 Churchill’s Port wine cellar, located just below Graham’s, was, curiously, founded precisely by a member of this family, John Graham, in 1981. As a very young brand, it focus on differentiation through its noticeably drier wines. The cellar itself is much smaller than the others, giving you a sense of familiarity and warmth, ideal for those seeking a more intimate visit, which makes me consider Churchill’s as one of the top Port wine cellars. The tasting room is very nice and airy, and Churchill’s also has a beautiful “VIP” room, with a fabulous view of the Douro River, where you can organize lunches, dinners or private events. 9:30am – 6:30pm (last visit at 5:15pm). the visit to the cellar + Port Wine tasting vary between [5 ; 20]€,depending on the type & number of Port Wines. Churchill’s also has its table wines for tasting, and the price varies between [10 ; 15]€ PT, EN, FR, ES, IT, RUS and UA

to Europe, USA, Australia and some Asian countries Avenida Ramos Pinto, 70.  Contact: +351 223 746 106 I was very welcomed at Ferreira, a one of the Port wine cellars, built around Antónia Ferreira, an extraordinary woman in a male-dominated industry during the nineteenth century. The tour begins precisely in a small “museum” with objects of Antónia, followed by a detailed explanation of the different types of Port wine, through a tour on the cellars. Before the tasting, you still have the opportunity to visit another museum with old photos, ancient objects used both in the production of Port wine and spirits and on the former cooperage of the company. Ferreira’s cellar has two spacious rooms for Port wine tasting, and a tiny premium room, all covered with Portuguese tiles, where I had the privilege of tasting 5 different types of Port wine. 10:30am – 12:30 + 2pm – 6pm. Bookings through this link ou visitors@aaferreira.pt the visit to cellar + Port wine tasting in the Main Room vary between [6 ; 16]€,depending on the type & number of Port Wines.

Tour languages: PT, EN, FR, ES, IT and DE to Europe and Japan Rua do Choupelo, 250. Contact: +351 223 742 800 Taylor’s is probably the answer you’ll get if you ask any tourist what are the top Port wine cellars in Porto. This year, Taylor’s completely changed the visit to its Port wine cellars. The visitors, instead of being in a 50 people group (and pressed by time, which is always scarce in Port wine tours), has at their disposal an audio guide service that I personally loved! The cellar has 11 stops with detailed information that visitors can discover at their own pace and according to their personal interest. You go through the cellars, but also through a “museum” dedicated to Taylor’s cooperage, two videos, and you even have a selfie station at your disposal. At the end of the visit, a tasting of two flagship wines of Taylor’s: its Chip Dry Port, introduced in 1934 and an LBV 2011 (which is considered one the best years of the Douro Wine Region), which I took in the garden.

the audio guide tour + tasting of 2 Port wines costs 12€ PT, EN, FR, ES and GER Rua do Choupelo, 54.  Contact: +351 223 743 852 What captivated me at Offley’s Port wine cellar was its simplicity combined with a strong sense of tradition, which results in a relaxed – but no less structured and informative – tour. At the end of the visit to the cellar, a Port wine tasting accompanied by the sound of crystal clear water in the tank that exists in the tasting room. It was so relaxing! 10am – 12h30 + 2pm – 6pm. Bookings through this link or the email offley.visitors@offley.pt the visit to cellar + tasting in the Main Room vary between [10;15]€,depending on the type & number of Port Wines. PT, EN, FR, ES and DE to Europe, Japan and Hong Kong Rua Serpa Pinto, 346. Vila Nova de Gaia. Contact: +351 913 007 950 The visit to Cockburn’s Port wine cellar was quite unique. The brand was founded in 1815 by two Scottish brothers and passed from family to family until it reached the hands of Symington, Graham’s owners.

The Cockburn’s is distinguished by being a huge working lodge – in fact, it is the largest Port wine warehouse in Gaia – where we often see work being carried out during the tour. I had the immense privilege of watching the cooperage team fixing Port wine barrels, something I had never seen and will not see as quickly as it is a dying art. It was beautiful – and I even met Symington’s head cooper, Emílio, who most recently won the Medal of Honour due to his contribution to Port wine industry! In the end, the tasting takes place in a cozy room overlooking the cellar. Cockburn’s is definitely one of the top Port wine cellars! the visit to cellar + tasting in the Main Room vary between [10;15]€,depending on the type & number of Port Wines.  PT, EN, FR, ES, IT Extra: Go on a private tour in PortoThe best way to get to know Porto is to go on a private tour with me! telling me the dates you’ll be in Porto, what monuments you would like to see, and things you would like to do.