This very interesting lodge is for sure worth a visit.

Croft is a very well-known brand – but in Portugal mainly for Brandy. However, this company – active since 1588 – makes also some outstanding Ports.

The lodge is located in a beautiful old building – and as so typical for the Port Wine trade, it seems that time stood still. The lodge feels to a certain degree like a museum – which is exactly what the company wants it to feel like. Many very interesting old documents and photos wait for the interested visitor. Even if the property is very much in the heart of the historic Port Wine district in Gaia, it’s a little bit off the beaten track located – which means that not so many walk-in-tourists show up here – which makes the visit on a quiet day a much better experience.

There are no scheduled tours – so feel free just to show up at the lodge. All through the day new tours start. The price of EUR 10 includes three interesting Port Wines after the tour: The Croft Pink, the Ruby reserve and the 10 year old Tawny. Croft is very proud of the Pink Port – they claim that they were the first company to launch a Pink Port. The tour is well laid out and as the lodges is very photogenic, please don’t forget your camera.

There are also some more sophisticated tasting available – the best would be to contact CROFT directly at the below email address and to see which upgrade they can offer for more interesting tastings and even work-shops (one work-shop even lets you be the blender – the group has to blend several tawnies to create a new, unique Tawny – sooo much fun…).

If you want to learn more about CROFT then please try to make it to their visitor center at QUINTA DA ROEDA in the Douro Valley – a really beautiful place that will bring you so much closer to Port and the history of this company.

Opening hours: 10:00 – 18:00. The last tour of the day starts around 17:00.

Closed on Dec 25th and Jan 1st.

Rua Barão de Forrester, 412 – 4400-034 Vila Nova de Gaia

Tel: +351 220 109 825

Email: turismo.croft@croft.pt