A visit to Churchill’s cellars

With a privileged view over the Douro, Churchill’s cellars, in Vila Nova de Gaia, are a mandatory stop for anyone who is passionate about wine. At the visitor center, visitors have the opportunity to learn about the wine aging process with the team of ‘wine educators’, or even enjoy an exclusive and personalized tasting with one of its enologists. 

A visit to Churchill’s cellars includes the Sala dos Tonelis, the Tawny Warehouse and the Vintage Cellar. Visitors are guided through the 40-year history of ‘Churchill’s’ house and the family that founded it, getting to know the world of Port wine through the aging process – from the large barrels of Reserve and LBV, to the cellar where Port wines are Vintage Port rests and ages in the bottle, right up to the large barrel warehouse where the house Tawny wines and their iconic dry white Port wine are aged. 

The tasting experiences are divided between Port and Douro wines. To discover the brand’s Port wines, visitors can opt for: Classic Tasting; Try Ruby; Wood-Aged Proof; Gricha Terroir Vintage Port tasting (winemaker’s selection); and Churchill’s Vintage Port Tasting (winemaker’s selection). For Douro wines, the Classic Tasting is available; Classic tasting with native grapes and Gricha Terroir tasting. 

In both experiences, it is possible to order a selection of cheeses to go with it, or even opt for the Tasting of the Day, designed and selected by the Churchill’s team for visitors who want to be surprised. Tastings vary between €15 and €45 per person. 

After the tasting, visitors can take home the references they liked the most through a visit to Churchill’s cellar. The real challenge is choosing: from Ruby Ports to wood-aged Ports – with emphasis on the 30 and 40 year old Tawny Ports, included among the ‘Best of the Year’ by Revista de Vinhos –, there are several options in the brand’s universe. To break the tie, there is also a Churchill’s Port Experience Pack with a tasting of the three Port wine styles – ruby, tawny and white. 

In addition to the cellars, visitors can, from Friday to Sunday from 2 pm to 7 pm, enjoy the rest of the day at the 1982 Bar and in Churchill’s garden, while savoring a glass of wine with the unforgettable scenery of Porto, the Douro River , and the mural by visual artist and illustrator Kruella D’Enfer who brought an explosion of color to the space in 2021, in a unique artistic intervention. 

Visits and tastings can be made from Monday to Sunday, always from 10 am to 6 pm, with the last visit to the cellars scheduled for 5 pm. And the garden is open from Friday to Sunday, from 2 pm to 7 pm, from May 5th. 

Churchill’s also offers the possibility for visitors to book an exclusive visit with the presence of winemakers. or by phone. For more information, see Churchill’s website https://www.drinkchurchills.com/en/