Cave Bombarda in Porto’s Cedofeita district has become a winelover’s attraction and Jorge Azevedo is in charge of this small and cozy wine space.

Several shelves are full of rebellious wine labels, most—Portuguese, some—foreign, and obviously represent what Jorge likes to drink himself. I sat down, had the guys pour me a glass of Hugo Pinheiro’s fruity Pahlete and let Jorge do the talking. It turns out Jorge came from the hospitality side of things—having had experience of working in Paris for quite some time, he started importing nonexistent small Portuguese brands to the France’s capital before the pandemic times. When he came back to Porto—that’s when the current wine business, Cave Bombarda, started.

Jorge remembers: “Once I went to a natural wine fair and it opened my head—orange wine, skin contact, different expressions. At first I didn’t get it, but I learned, and I decided: this is what I wanted to do. This is how I started a shop inside a mall here. In the end it became more than a shop—a kind of wine bar, a space. We did wine by the glass, tastings, pop-up events with chefs. Distribution started almost by accident—producers couldn’t always deliver, so I bought more and sold to colleagues. Now it’s a big part of the business and it gives me freedom to leave the shop.

I choose wines based on the producer as much as the wine—if we connect, if we share a way of thinking, it works. I like unknown names, organic practices, spontaneous fermentation, indigenous grapes.

I sometimes keep just one special wine from a producer because it tells their story. And people who come to buy here are curious.

We get Foreigners—during the week, more Portuguese on Saturdays. Rarely they buy the same bottle twice—they want to discover. They’re open to things that aren’t “perfect” but are different. That’s rewarding.

I don’t drink much at home. I taste all day here, so home is for water, family. But I’ll open something special if a friend brings it, or if I find something curious on a visit.

In Porto, people are more open now—more concerned about quality, about stories. Even if there’s a crisis, wine doesn’t stop. It slows, then it comes back. January and February are quiet, but the rest of the year has its rhythm: whites and rosés in summer, reds later.

High-priced wines—say, 40 euros—are for people passionate about wine, willing to embrace complexity. Price is about experience. For those who can afford it, a €100 wine that’s amazing is worth it; and a €20 wine that’s bad is expensive.”

Cave Bombarda:
Centro Comercial Bombarda
Rua do Rosário 84
Loja 16, 4050-381 Porto