Taylor's Port — Restaurant in Vila Nova de Gaia

I prefer the self-guided audio tour offered at Taylor's since you can go around at your own place and linger around longer at the different areas, as opposed to having to try and keep up with a tour guide yelling to a large group. Taylor's is also a little deeper in Gaia and is off the main riverfront, which means it's less crowded and less touristy than the other wine tours in Gaia. You don't need to make a reservation for a specific day or time. In fact, you don't even need to book ahead of time (but you do have the option to buy tickets online if you want). Just show up and buy your tickets right at the front desk (€15.00 for one ticket, which is for the full tour and two free tastings included in the price).

The tour comes with an audioguide that you can set to different languages, it looks like one of those old cordless phones. Pro tip: bring your own wired earphones/headphones, or else you'll have to hold it up to your ear the entire time (which is fine, but just a little annoying). The tour itself is very detailed with the history of the Douro region and the origins of Port wine. I really appreciated the amount of information provided. It can take up to two hours if you fully listen to and read everything, and you also need some time afterwards for the tasting room, so plan for ~3 hours total here.

The tasting happens at the end of the tour. You get two free tastings (a white port wine called "Chip Dry" and a sweet red port wine called "Late Bottled Vintage"), but keep in mind that the portion you get for the tasting is VERY little...like two or three sips and it's over. You can order more glasses of different wines in the tasting room that you can pay extra for (I'd recommend trying at least one of the Tawny wines). There's also some snacking options like bread bowls with olive oil, roasted almonds, etc.

Also, you'll be visited by some feathered friends in the tasting room: a rooster, a peacock, and two peahens roam around the tasting room saying hello to everyone, along with occasionally altering everyone to their presence with...

A great experience if you're visiting Porto, perfect for people new to port or experienced port drinkers! You don't need to book ahead, but you can. Be aware it can be a quite a walk up from the river, but it's manageable and worth it.

Taylor's Port House is one of the oldest and most respected port wine producers in the world. Founded in 1692, the company has a rich history and a commitment to quality that is evident in its wines.

The Taylor's Port House is located in Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river from Porto. The building itself is a beautiful example of Portuguese architecture, with a large garden and a terrace overlooking the river, and a few peacocks roam about too.

The tour of the Taylor's Port House begins with a visit to the wine cellars. Here, you can see the barrels of port wine that have been aging for years. An audio guide will explain the different types of port wine and the aging process.

After the tour of the wine cellars, you will have the opportunity to participate in a tasting. The tasting typically includes a variety of Taylor's port wines, including ruby, tawny, and vintage port. The guide will explain the different flavors and aromas of each wine. We were given one glass of Chip Dry white port and an LBV, and then chose to buy individual glasses of other ports.

The tasting experience at Taylor's Port House is a great way to learn about port wine and to sample some of the best wines that Portugal has to offer. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, and the setting is beautiful.

I recommend you try the 30 year and 50 year tawny ports, they are great and having them back to back really shows the characteristics of both.

Overall, Taylor's Port House is a great place to learn about port wine and to sample some of the best wines that Portugal has to offer. If you are visiting Porto, I highly recommend visiting...

Our visit to Taylor’s was, unfortunately, a mixed bag. It started on the wrong foot with an unfriendly welcome from the receptionist, which set a rather cold tone for the visit.

The self-guided tour itself was well done and informative, and we appreciated the opportunity to explore at our own pace. However, things took another downturn when we arrived for the tasting that was included with the tour.

When I asked how to proceed with the tasting, the waiter simply said “go sit” while gesturing in a dismissive manner. We sat at a table outside. We were then poured our ports with minimal explanation—just the names of the wines and nothing more. This was quite a letdown, especially considering the many warm and engaging wine tasting experiences we've had in South Africa where we spend a lot time and have had a lot of wine tastings. We tried to chalk it up to cultural differences, but it didn’t sit well.

What made the experience worse was seeing the guests at the next table receive a completely different level of service from a different staff member. Their waiter took the time to explain the port and engage with them, which left us feeling even more neglected.

We brought our concerns to the head of the tasting room, who did offer an apology, but nothing more was done to remedy the situation.

To top it off, when we bought a bottle of port, I was surprised to be charged €1.30 for a bag—especially after being told the paper bag wouldn’t hold and I “should take a more sturdy one.” That seemed a bit much after the overall lackluster experience.

All in all, while the setting and the self-guided tour were enjoyable, the service—especially in the tasting room—left a lot to be desired. We expected more from a brand as established...