Taylor’s Fladgate (port wine / winery / restaurant) March 26
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Taylor’s Fladgate (or just Taylor’s) is one of the greatest names in port, with over 300 years of history. The company was founded by Job Bearsley, a bacalhau (salted cod) trader in 1692. In 1744, his son Bartholomew became the first Englishman to buy a vineyard in the Douro valley, where port is produced. Except for a brief interregnum during the Napoleonic invasions (in which the farmhouse served as a field hospital for Wellington’s troops), Taylor’s has been producing port there every year. In 1836, the company gained a new partner, John Fladgate, a London wine merchant. In the 1920s, Taylor’s produced the first varietal ports. In the 1930s, it introduced the first white port, Taylor’s Chip Dry, an excellent aperitif, solo or with tonic (called a “Splash”). In 1958, Taylor’s became the first company to sell single estate ports, under their Quinta de Vargellas brand, named after the estate in Douro. That same year (which, by the way, yielded one of the very best vintages ever), the company merged with Fonseca, another established name in port. In 1970s, Taylor’s pioneered the LBVs (or late bottled vintages) a vintage port that requires no decanting, enabling the market for ruby ports (aged in the bottle) to expand considerably. In 2002, Taylor’s and Fonseca purchased Croft and Delaforce, two other well-respected port companies. You get the point — Taylor’s is a company with a lot of achievements under its belt.
Taylor’s wine lodge in Gaia is one of the best to visit and the only to possess an excellent restaurant with a great view of Porto. As soon as you step through the gates, you’ll find a secluded surrounding of immaculate gardens, stunning terraces with wonderful views across the river, and damp cellars where barrels age for decades, if not more. During your (free) tour, the guide will summarize the history of port and of the company itself in a lively and concise way. The tour is not limited to the wine cellars, covering also the craftsmanship involved in building the barrels, the vine growing process (which takes place up the Douro river), environmental concerns, and, of course, some off-the barrel tasting!
Afterwards, you can taste two wines for free — the white Chip Dry and a late bottled vintage (LBV). You can hang out in the library or, if the weather is pleasant, on the terrace, which oversees Porto and the river. There is, of course, a large wine store (to which no one will push you) where you will find all wines produced by the Taylor’s group at unbeatable prices. The staff is attentive but not pushy. They also have an ear for how knowledgeable you are in port and are willing to adjust their spiel to your level of interest, not the other way around. All in all, Taylor’s produces some of the finest vintage ports, and that same quality is reflected in the level of service you will find.
If you have time — and you should — have lunch at the Baron of Fladgate Restaurant in the premises. The dining room has a stunning view of Porto, and you can indulge in good Portuguese food accompanied by good table wines and followed by excellent ports. Your lunch will start with a chilled white dry port and an assortment of appetizers, including a few Portuguese cheeses. We love the traditional clam soup, as well as the several bacalhau dishes and other fish courses — black grouper broiled with onion and tomato and a grilled sea bass with lemon sauce. Desserts include all the major Portuguese staples, with lots of traditional conventual egg sweets. The table wines are up to the job but, of course, the stars are the ports that await you at the end. Make sure you book your table the moment you arrive for the tour. Service is attentive and the ambiance is great.
Price point: tastings of basic wines are free; more sophisticated wines by the glass from 3 euros; bottles from 10 euros. Lunch at the restaurant will cost you around 20 euros plus drinks.
Address: Rua do Choupelo 250, Gaia.
Website: http://www.taylor.pt/
Opening hours: open Monday through Friday from 10:00am till 6:00pm; same schedule on weekends during July and August.
Reservations: not required; call (+351) 22.374.2800.
Getting there: taxi highly recommended, should take 10-15 minutes from downtown Porto and cost you less than 5 euros. The section of Gaia where port lodges are located is made of narrow, steep, and winding streets — a nightmare for the typical American driver on any occasion — and for everyone else after the wine tasting.
Phyllis Hubbard Sep 8
Thank you for a lovely meal and tour of your facility back in May. The restaurant was excellent and our tour guide was most informative.