Caves Cálem — Attraction in Vila Nova de Gaia

For context, the reason we chose this place was mainly due to the fact that of our 6 days in Portugal we only had 2 in Porto, and only 1.5 really in Porto considering that half a day was dedicated to Guimaraes.... Given these time constraints we found this place attractive as it was the only place in our research that gave you a winery tour along with a fado show at the end and both of those had good reviews. So we thought, well, why not, let's kill two birds with one stone and it turned out to be a brilliant decision!

We booked them online and the overall winery tour wine tasting + fado experience takes about 1.5 hours.

They begin with the tour (multiple languages available, we chose english) around 6.30 PM where our guide explained to us what distinguishes Port wine from other wines (both within Iberia and elsewhere) and why the soil and climate of the Douro valley make it ideal for Port wine cultivation. She also explained many minutiae about Portugese wine growing culture around Port wine and how it's more family business run and smaller scale than the industrial grade spanish wine growing culture. She threw around tidbits of cork also but honestly the best thing she told me was that there existed the notion of "Port and tonic" which is like "gin and tonic" but with Port wine instead and I can't believe I didn't know that from earlier research because boy it was delicious and "Port & tonic" IMO is the ONLY way to have Port wine... I dare you to change my mind....!!

Anyway they took us through their winery, they showed all the barrels of different sizes and explain the significance of them... It's quite an exhaustive tour at the end of which your fado show is combined with the wine tasting experience... So for the wine tasting, they have us each a glass of the fine white and a 10 year aged tawny port red. You know how they say the best compliment that food can get is that the person eating just shuts up and eats it all up, I believe the finest compliment a wine tasting can get is if the taster ends up buying the wines they tasted and you can see now that those 2 bottles accompanied me in an 11 hour indirect flight to India, and now sit in my collection :)

The Fado show was brilliant too, definitely the piece de resistance of the tour when paired with the wine tasting..... The performers were very talented and energetic and the atmosphere felt cosy enough for one to connect with the performers while admittedly not being a very small venue.... So if you want a fado where there is a very limited audience maybe this isn't the place for you.... We really enjoyed this experience though

On the whole from the vibe of the place, to the staff, to the collection and killing 2 birds with one stone, I've no regrets and do recommend this place to folks who may want a similarly...

A visit to Cálem cellars? Well… let’s say it promises more than it delivers — and costs a small fortune. For a family visit with a tasting package, we paid over €70. The introductory talk was rather bland — a few general facts about Porto wine and Cálem’s history. Nothing you couldn’t find in a basic wine guide… or on the back of the bottle.

To be fair, the cellars themselves are visually appealing. Rows of barrels, moody lighting, clean and well-organized. The whole setup is clearly designed to impress and suggest deep heritage — with dates on the barrels meant to evoke a sense of timeless tradition. But honestly? I’ve seen more creative and immersive cellar designs — and some of them were free. This one felt polished, but a bit generic.

Now for the tasting part… Each adult received 2 or 3 small samples depending on the package, kids got a glass of orange juice. No water to cleanse the palate, no crackers, no extras. The wines? Frankly, nothing memorable — average quality, modest portions. The host spoke unclear English, rushed through the experience, and eventually focused only on a few premium-looking guests, leaving everyone else to sip in silence.

The staff overall seemed tense, and the vibe felt… odd. As if visitors were potential thieves rather than welcomed guests. Uncomfortable and disappointing. Honestly, it felt like a tourist trap — overpriced, underdelivering, with more focus on appearance than actual hospitality. Instead of investing in making you fall in love with their wine, they’re trying to sell you an overpriced tour.

To be fair: I did buy two bottles for my collection — because the wine itself can be great, when you pick the right ones:

– Cálem Colheita 2023 – despite being from a young vintage, it’s surprisingly elegant for a Colheita port. Rich notes of dried fruit, caramel, and subtle oak spice. Well-balanced, with aging potential — a smart addition to any collection or a refined gift with the soul of the Douro Valley.

– Cálem 20 Years Old Tawny Port – a true classic, and more than just a standard. Smooth, complex, with layers of nuts, vanilla, and dried plums. A wine with character — proving that Cálem knows what they’re doing… just maybe not...

I had mixed feelings about this tour. Many elements in the presentation were done nicely. A self guided information room was full of interesting stations and beautiful videos. The massive wine barrels are gorgeously displayed. I appreciated the friendly enthusiastic vibes, and lots of information provided by the tour guide.

The downside is the amount of people coming through these doors. October is not high season so I can only imagine in the spring and summer. Due to the sheer amount of people, you can’t help but feel a bit rushed. Just as one language guide finishes a station the next language guide files the next batch in. Having two language groups so close together can be distracting at times. This is not the fault of any tour guide, I think it’s just the nature of the beast. This is not an intimate experience, it’s designed to handle large groups of people.

I was also left wanting after the tasting. I’ve been drinking all week here in Porto and I was starting to think I couldn’t get a bad glass of Port. Tastings are such a personal thing so it might just be me, but these Ports didn’t suite me well. I enjoyed the Port Vintage 2020 the most but struggled with the rest.

There were three different packages of tastings, with different Ports in each one. This made it difficult for a large group to know which Port was being described at any given moment. You might be listening to an explanation about one, only to find out it’s not in the package you purchased.

Overall I’m still happy I took the time to take this tour, as most of the interior was beautiful. It’s fairly priced considering anything that is guided comes with a certain expense, the tastings are an added bonus.

I’d still tell someone to come here but also make sure they visited other wine bars in Gaia. Many wine bars offer tastings and the staff are knowledgeable and super friendly. This will give you a more one on one experience, which will round out your Porto...