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Top 3 houses to visit in Gaia?

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 2:36 pm
by terrance creighton
Hey everybody,
I'll be traveling to Lisbon and Porto next week and after procrastinating way too long, I'm starting to finally plan the actually events my wife and I will be doing.
First off, this whole section and everybody's recommendations to everyone else has been so helpful. I have lists of so many different places to go that I started back in March. There's only one thing I wanted to check on.
I booked a tour and dinner at Graham's/Vinum. But I was hoping to find the best options for other port houses that included a good tasting of VP's and/or older tawnies.
I'm not going to be able to go to 6-8 places, maybe just 2 more. Cockburns seems like a good place because I can see what they're planning on pouring from their website, but you all know more than me on what to expect from all the places.

So I thought I would ask. For those who have gone, what would be your ranking for the top 3 houses in Gaia to tour?

Thanks a million in advance!

Re: Top 3 houses to visit in Gaia?

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 3:00 pm
by Al B.
You've started with what I would recommend as my first choice. When I did the tour in June I paid for the top vintage tasting in the Vintage Tasting Room, I thought it was well worth the cost. I also enquired what the wine list said was the "vintage port of the day". There were three - so I had a glass of each of those too. And then had lunch in Vinum! Beware - I arrived at 10.00 and didn't leave until 17.00!!

If you are better disciplined than me then I'd recommend either Ferreira or Sandeman - they are great old lodges, stuffed full of history. It's a few years since I visited either of those so I don't remember what they pour for the tasting at the end of the tour.

And, of course, there's Taylor's recently refurbished lodge. I've not visited Taylor's for 25 years but when I did I was able to buy a bottle of their 1963 vintage port and enjoy that on the terrace. From what I've read, you can get a pretty good tasting when you visit Taylors. (Note to self: must go back and try the Taylor tour on my next visit.)

Re: Top 3 houses to visit in Gaia?

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 4:40 pm
by Eric Menchen
terrance creighton wrote:For those who have gone, what would be your ranking for the top 3 houses in Gaia to tour?
Note that the best tours and the best tastings aren't necessarily the same thing. Graham's happens to do well on both counts. I wouldn't put Cálem high on a tasting rank (but they can surprise), but their tour is nice and the last time I was there they had a Goya art exhibit that made the visit quite worthwhile. So it might be worth checking if something like that is going on and if it interests you. I see on their website now that they list a tasting with fado. That's probably better left to the tourist with just a day in the city. I'd skip their fado, and if you are really interest in that, better to find a more authentic venue in Porto or Lisbon. (There was an article in one of the FTLOP newsletters about places for fado in Porto, and of course Lisbon is the home.) I've not been to Sandeman, but hear that tour is very good. And if you are interested in the tasting aspect, perhaps that might affect your choice. Really like tawnies and colheitas? Certainly you should go to Kopke then, but it is just a tasting room--no tour there. Maybe Burmester then? ...

Re: Top 3 houses to visit in Gaia?

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 8:35 pm
by terrance creighton
Appreciate the detailed responses.
I'm more worried about doing a tour and having a ruby/2014 lbv/10yr tawny at the end of it to taste. And like Eric said, avoid any potential tourist traps.

Thanks for the tip Al, I'll need to make sure we do the higher end tastings at Grahams (either the vp or tawnies). Signing up was kind of vague, I'll contact to confirm.
Update: Looks like you choose the tasting after the tour. Makes sense... I guess I'm just use to the tours at wineries in places like Napa, where you choose between the 4 different tours/tastings.

Re: Top 3 houses to visit in Gaia?

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 11:08 pm
by Roy Hersh
It ain't no Napa! [foilhat.gif]

Re: Top 3 houses to visit in Gaia?

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 10:12 am
by Al B.
terrance creighton wrote:Appreciate the detailed responses.
I'm more worried about doing a tour and having a ruby/2014 lbv/10yr tawny at the end of it to taste. And like Eric said, avoid any potential tourist traps.

Thanks for the tip Al, I'll need to make sure we do the higher end tastings at Grahams (either the vp or tawnies). Signing up was kind of vague, I'll contact to confirm.
Update: Looks like you choose the tasting after the tour. Makes sense... I guess I'm just use to the tours at wineries in places like Napa, where you choose between the 4 different tours/tastings.
When I did the tour in June, it was at the time I checked in for the tour that I was asked which tasting I would like to do at the end. And it was only in the tasting room that I was given the wine-list, which identified the mysterious "vintage port of the day". I'm writing this at home so have my notebook on hand. When I was in the Graham's Lodge in June I managed to taste my way through Graham 1983, Graham 2000, Graham 2007, Warre 1980, Dow 1985 and Vesuvio 1995. The first three being the Vintage Tasting and the last three being the "vintage port of the day". Added to that with lunch I got to drink Martinez 1970, Graham 40 year old tawny, Malvedos 2004 and Malvedos 2005.

Now you can see why I arrived at 10.00 and left at 17.00!!

Re: Top 3 houses to visit in Gaia?

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 11:43 am
by Glenn E.
Ramos Pinto is a must-see visit for the museum, but doesn't include a great tasting. It is totally worth a couple of hours for the tour, though, then hike back to Porto and spend the evening drinking at La Maison Des Porto. (Formerly Vinologia.)

Re: Top 3 houses to visit in Gaia?

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 2:40 pm
by Roy Hersh
Now known as Portologia.

Re: Top 3 houses to visit in Gaia?

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 10:50 pm
by terrance creighton
Al B. wrote:When I was in the Graham's Lodge in June I managed to taste my way through Graham 1983, Graham 2000, Graham 2007, Warre 1980, Dow 1985 and Vesuvio 1995. The first three being the Vintage Tasting and the last three being the "vintage port of the day". Added to that with lunch I got to drink Martinez 1970, Graham 40 year old tawny, Malvedos 2004 and Malvedos 2005.

Now you can see why I arrived at 10.00 and left at 17.00!!
Al.... that is simply amazing. We would take that experience in a heart-beat. So in a sense, we probably won't be able to be more disciplined than you. :)
Roy Hersh wrote:It ain't no Napa! [foilhat.gif]
You promise? [cheers.gif]
Glenn E. wrote:Ramos Pinto is a must-see visit for the museum, but doesn't include a great tasting. It is totally worth a couple of hours for the tour, though, then hike back to Porto and spend the evening drinking at La Maison Des Porto. (Formerly Vinologia.)
Thank Glenn, I've seen you mention Ramos Pinto before, so I have it on the radar. I like that plan too with going to Portologia afterwards... then Prova (hat tip Frederick) to compare of course (for scientific reasons). this is starting to make too much sense.

Re: Top 3 houses to visit in Gaia?

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:24 am
by Lisa Stevens
I would highly recommend the Kopke tasting room if you like tawnies. they are right on the waterfront.

-Lisa