Wine Tasting in Guimarães: Vinho Verde at Casa de Sezim

Some estates you visit for the wine. Casa de Sezim you visit for the wine, the quiet, and the strange thrill of drinking something that's been made on the same land since 1396.

Less than five minutes from the centre of Guimarães, down a road where buildings gradually give way to vineyards, this family-owned property has been producing Vinho Verde since the fourteenth century. This isn't one of those flashy estates with a cocktail bar and sunset DJ set. It's a manor house with 19th-century Züber wallpapers, eight guest rooms, and a cellar where the work is done as it's always been done: grapes hand-picked bunch by bunch, under certified integrated production methods.

What to Expect

The Visit & Tasting experience lasts about 90 minutes and starts in the vineyards. Your guide, usually someone connected to the family or production, not a tourism performer reading from a script, walks you through rows of Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura, and Azal, explaining how each grape variety behaves in this specific Minho microclimate. In May, the vines are at their most photogenic: new leaves, clusters beginning to form, and a quality of light that rewards anyone carrying a camera.

Then you descend to the cellar. No gleaming stainless steel or award-winning architecture, this is stone, barrels, and the unmistakable smell of a cave that's been working for centuries. The guide walks you through the entire process, grape to glass, with the ease of someone showing you their home. Because that's exactly what they're doing.

The Tasting

The visit ends with a tasting of two Casa de Sezim wines, accompanied by regional snacks. I'd recommend asking specifically for the Reserva, it won best Vinho Verde in the world in 2015 and remains the house's benchmark label. It's a white with enough body to surprise anyone who only associates Vinho Verde with light summer sippers.

If you want the fuller experience, there's a Visit & Traditional Meal option (from €60 per person, minimum 4 people, 2 hours). It includes the complete tour followed by lunch or dinner with regional produce: homemade chicken broth, pork tenderloin with mushrooms or braised chicken with rice, and lemon meringue tart. All paired with the house wines. It's the kind of meal you eat slowly, looking out at the vineyards through the window.

Practical Information

• Price: Visit & Tasting from €42 per adult; children under 16 free; groups of 5+ get a 21% discount
• Duration: 90 minutes (visit + tasting) or 2 hours (visit + meal)
• Time slots: 10:30, 11:30, 14:30, 15:30, and 16:00
• Season: November to March, weekdays only; rest of the year, daily except holidays
• Group size: Minimum 2 people, maximum 10 (visit + tasting)
• Languages: Portuguese, English, and French
• Cancellation: Free up to 72 hours before

What to Bring and How to Get There

In May, the Minho can surprise you with cool mornings even on sunny days. Bring a layer and comfortable shoes for the vineyard walk, you don't need hiking boots, but trainers beat sandals. The vineyard section is short and flat, accessible to anyone.

Casa de Sezim is at Rua de Sezim, s/n, 4811-909 Guimarães, about 5 km from the historic centre. Driving from Porto, it's roughly 50 minutes on the A3. If you don't have a car, a taxi or Uber from central Guimarães costs under €5. The 10:30 session is my pick: fewer people, more calm, and the morning light across the vines has a different quality entirely.

Why May Is the Right Time

May is, objectively, the best month to visit Vinho Verde estates. The vines are in full swing but without the harvest chaos. The Minho weather has warmed enough for the vineyard walk to be pleasant, but without the July heat that turns any outdoor activity into an endurance test. And since peak tourist season hasn't kicked in yet, you can often book with just a few days' notice.

If you're planning a full day in Guimarães, the Casa de Sezim visit fits perfectly in the morning, leaving the afternoon free for the historic centre. And if you're staying for the evening, a glass at the Rooftop Bar at Eurostars Santa Luzia with views over the city is the right way to end the day. For sleeping off the Vinho Verde glow, Pousada Mosteiro de Guimarães is hard to beat, or if the budget is tighter, Hotel da Oliveira in the centre is a solid pick.

Contact and Booking

You can book directly by email ([email protected]) or through the Portugal by Wine platform. Always confirm ahead, especially on May weekends, when sessions can fill up.