de Lima's Wine Bar - reservation only wine tasting — Restaurant in Porto

While in Porto last week, we had the pleasure of meeting Raf at de Lima's Wine Bar. It’s a cozy place with real Portuguese character.

His private wine tastings for groups of up to 6 adults is a great value & I highly recommend it.

Let me start by saying; this is not your everyday run in the mill tasting. Raf uses his Sommelier expertise to introduce you to quality Portuguese wine & offers an interesting educational aspect that is really fun and entertaining, making this an ideal excursion for the novice wine drinker & anyone who considers themselves a bit of a “wine connoisseur”.

Raf not only demonstrates a vast knowledge of Portuguese wine, he also brings his farming background to the table & shares his family farms cheeses & breads that were absolutely delicious. It adds another level of value to his 90 minute tasting program.

We had a wonderful tasting experience at de Lima’s Wine Bar & will definitely visit Raf the next time we are in Porto.

In my opinion, de Lima Wine bar represents what’s best about enjoying wine. You share the experience with folks from all walks of life & leave with a better understand of the wonderful wines of Portugal & a few new friends.

It’s what I love most about wine. Thanks Raf! See...

On the first day of my visiting Porto, I walked by this wine bar and noticed that the place had so many five stars. I made a request for wine tasting at the very last minute, and was initially declined because there was no seat left. But I was lucky enough, and the owner, Rafa, was kind enough to offer me a canceled seat. It made the highlight of my trip in Portugal.

While Rafa is so knowledgeful and absolutely loves wine, he tries to avoid using technical jargons and makes sure that we are on the same page, just like any good teachers do. But when you ask him any questions, he is always happy to share his knowledge and opinions.

Wine tasting can sometimes become apple-to-orange superficial comparisons. This wine is easy drinking while that one is oaky, for example, without them being on a scale of the same attribute. Rafa made a selection of wines so the distinction among them can be more perceivable and comparable. He also dived into the chemistry behind the differences, which applies to not only Portuguese wines but internationally. At the end, we all happily left the venue with takeaways which we can use to pick wines on many occasions for the rest...

I learned a lot about wine and had a wonderful time. Raf is very welcoming and friendly, so I did not feel awkward at all (I am an introverted solo traveler, so I was honestly worried). I enjoyed not only the passionate explanations and experiences about wine but also the interactions with other participants. It was fun, and the two hours flew by. He speaks three to four languages fluently (wow), and he also taught us how to order smartly in an expensive restaurant (upon my request). I loved that we could ask any questions, and he had an answer for all of them!

Just one minor thing—not even sure if it's realistic: We were supposed to smell different types of wine, but the first smell that hit my olfactory nerves was the mildewish, humid air (I'm much more sensitive than most people, though). However, I was able to concentrate on smelling the wine with Raf's help. But then I gradually lost my concentration as I got tipsy, ha ha ha, but everyone else looked completely fine.

I strongly recommend this place and hope Raf can make enough money from this to move to a nicer location. I will definitely do it again and bring my friends and...