Museu do Vinho (Museum of Wine), Porto

The Museum of Wine in Porto offers a deep dive into the history of Port wine and its integral role in the city’s development. Originally inaugurated in 2004 in the Cais Novo Warehouse, the museum moved to its current location in 2019. This new site, housed in a rehabilitated six-story building, brings a fresh approach to exploring the history of Port wine, focusing not just on the wine itself, but on the broader control and circulation of food products in Porto.

The museum’s collection spans models of Rabelo boats used to transport wine on the Douro River, metrology devices, and archival documents, paintings, sculptures, and furniture. These pieces, gathered from various municipal sources like the Soares dos Reis Museum and Porto’s Public Library, tell the story of how Port wine production led to the establishment of trade regulations that guaranteed the quality of this renowned product.

Visitors will find the first floor dedicated to the history of wine transportation by boat, with never-before-seen diagrams and models from the 1960s. Higher floors feature metrology instruments, some dating back to the reign of King João V, which were used to measure and regulate wine. The museum will also include a wine bar, offering tastings that complement the historical narratives displayed.

Currently closed for renovations since January 2024, the museum also features a multimedia exhibition titled The City Government and Wine, which delves into the governance of wine in Porto. It traces centuries of documentation and showcases how municipal officials managed the supply, quality, and pricing of wine. This aspect emphasizes the crucial role that local governance played in ensuring the reliability of Port wine—a product that proudly bears the city’s name on every label.