Un bar de vinos en Amadora celebra su primer aniversario con catas de vino gratuitas

A year after its opening, Companhia dos Lobos remains one of Amadora's best-kept secrets. At least that's the conviction of João Escoval, owner of the only wine bar in the municipality.

Since its opening in July 2025, the space has already hosted Asian, Canadian, Dutch, Norwegian, American, French, English, Italian, and Indian clients. Still, as expected, the Portuguese and Brazilian communities continue to lead in visitor numbers.

Despite the positive reception, João feels that there are still many Amadora residents who don't know about the place. "The phrase I hear most often is that people didn't imagine a place like this could exist in Amadora. But the truth is, they deserve to have a unique space, one that's not just another pastry shop or café," he says.

To attract new customers and celebrate the space's first anniversary, João is promoting special events during the month of July. On weekends, customers can participate in a free wine tasting and, if they wish, purchase a bottle at a special price.

“We present our partner wine producers and offer free tastings of these selected wines. We started in the Douro, then we'll move on to the Alentejo and also the Tejo region,” he says.

The initiative began on the first Saturday of the month and continues until the last Sunday of July. The next race will take place on Saturday the 11th, starting at 6 PM, and on Sunday the 12th, starting at 5 PM.

“We were surprised. We started with a wine from the Serra da Estrela sub-region, which is also a product that is not very well known here, but we had many people showing up throughout the day. I didn't expect that,” he admits.

Wines and snacks for everyone

On other days, customers can enjoy the store's three sections: the wine cellar, wine by the glass, and snacks. Despite presenting a more elegant concept, the wine bar "pleases all tastes and budgets."

There are over a hundred wine selections in the cellar, ranging from Trás-os-Montes to the Algarve, with prices starting at €9 and exceeding €90. Wines by the glass range from €3.50 to €5, depending on the chosen selection.

“We have a weekly selection of white, red, and rosé wines that people can drink by the glass. It rotates a wine from a different producer every week. Colheita or DOC wines cost R$ 3.50, while Reserva wines go for R$ 5,” he explains.

The owner admits that he learned to view wine as a gastronomic experience and, therefore, couldn't help but offer snacks to accompany it. "We're not a restaurant, we don't have a kitchen," he emphasizes. Even so, he serves traditional appetizers to pair with the wine.

You can order mixed platters for two people (€15) or four (€29), eggs with farinheira sausage (€7), canned goods on a plate (€8), ham with melon (€17) and roasted chorizo ​​(€9). In addition, it is possible to reserve the space for events and birthdays, guaranteeing a more varied gastronomic offer.

“I buy the products here at the market and make everything from fish cataplana to stews and feijoada. Everything that's cooked in a pot or a large pan,” he explains.

A deal that wasn't supposed to happen

Five years ago, João could hardly have imagined celebrating the anniversary of his wine bar. Despite having roots in the Alentejo region and growing up around tables filled with fine wines, he never dreamed of venturing into the wine business.

In fact, it all started in an unassuming way. “I would go to my house in Alentejo, bring back boxes of wine that weren’t for sale here, and sell them to friends. I wasn’t making a business out of it; it was just a circumstantial situation,” he recalls.

However, with the arrival of the pandemic, the demand from friends — and friends of friends — increased. It was during this time that João began to consider investing in a warehouse to keep the products in stock.

“I’ve always really liked the idea of ​​market stalls, and I believe the Municipal Market is very central and privileged. It was a bureaucratically lengthy process. It took three years to compete in the bidding process and finally occupy the stall,” he says.

A unique yet affordable wine bar.

With the help of Ana, his partner, he refined the idea of ​​the warehouse and decided to open a space with a broader concept. “It’s nothing sophisticated. It’s really a space for people to feel valued and for the product itself to feel valued as well,” he says.

After some renovations, Companhia dos Lobos opened, featuring tables and chairs for gatherings with friends and families, as well as two outdoor and indoor terraces at the Municipal Market. Throughout this first year, it has already held several wine tasting events in partnership with the Parish Council.

“We’ve had sold-out events, with 30 to 40 people,” he says. Typically, clients pay an entrance fee and have access to a wine tasting with a partner producer, accompanied by food for pairing.

Another new feature since the opening was the launch of the house's craft beers. In partnership with artists from Amadora, they created exclusive drinks with personalized labels from Companhia dos Lobos.

“It’s a collaboration with a brewer from Portalegre. Each bottle has a poem written by Nunes da Rocha. The labels were designed by Edgar Antunes, a graphic designer from this neighborhood, and Pedro Inock, a visual artist also from the region,” he says.

The first two beers were launched in October 2025, while the most recent version, already featuring the brand's logo, hit the shelves in May of this year. Sold for €3.50, they aim to promote local art from Amadora and reinforce the identity of Companhia dos Lobos.

“We have a lager, which is more classic. Another is a sour beer made with white wine grape must. And the third is a wine beer, made with must from Aragonês, Trincadeira and Alicante Bouschet grapes, which creates an excellent bridge between wine and beer,” he explains.

For the new year, João wants to continue investing in wine tasting events and developing his line of craft beers. At the same time, he hopes to continue showing that Amadora can—and deserves—to have unique and high-quality spaces. “There are a lot of good things happening here. People need to start looking at our city with different eyes,” he argues.

Click through the gallery to meet the Company of Wolves.