Cockburn's Lodge John Smithes Room Guided Tour with Premium Port Wine Tasting

Cockburn’s saves the best room for last. After roaming its vast working lodge, slip into the John Smithes Room for a quieter, sommelier-led tasting that feels more intimate.

Getting started

Check in at Cockburn’s Lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia and meet your English-speaking guide. For the next 2 hours, you’ll move through the working heart of the lodge before trading the barrel halls for your seat in the John Smithes Room.

What to expect

Cockburn’s Lodge

Cockburn’s has been doing things its own way since 1815, and this tour shows both sides of the house. First come the casks, cellar craft, and ageing spaces; then the mood shifts completely in the John Smithes Room, where the focus narrows to rare labels, stories, and what’s in your glass.

Features:

• Where the work happens: Step inside the working lodge, see rows of ageing casks, and get close to the cooperage where traditional barrel craft is still very much alive.

• A room with character: The John Smithes Room trades cellar bustle for armchairs, old portraits, books, and an intimate setup made for slower, more focused tastings.

• Pick your tasting: Stay with Vintage, switch to 20, 30, and 40-Year-Old Symington Tawnies, or add chocolate, custard tart, and artisanal cheese to the premium option.