When I first walked into The Black Sheep wine bar, I was impressed by how many people could squeeze into such a tiny space. A bar counter took up half the room, with its bar stools crammed underneath. Every other inch of floor space was occupied by a body, and the fight to the bathroom was a true test of claustrophobic tolerance.

Behind the counter, a man bent down to retrieve a bottle with a concentrated look on his face. He later introduced himself as Lukas Fetteira, co-owner of The Black Sheep. His partner, Bruna Aguiar, worked alongside him and spoke animatedly with each guest at the bar.

My friends and I fought our way to the front. They offered complimentary tastings from open bottles, asked us what we liked and what kind of wine we wanted to taste, walked us through tailored flights that fit our desired profiles, and did all of this with a warm, friendly vibe. We were laughing and chatting like old friends, and the evening melted away like wax from a candle.

“We do this at home, only the two of us, just talking about producers. So for us, here’s kinda like welcoming people into our living room in a way.” Lukas said, in an after-hour interview he was kind enough to give, dividing a bottle between my entourage of wine nerds. We peppered him with questions.

The wine bar’s name, The Black Sheep, is a reference to the owners’ Brazilian origins. The pair are now transplanted in Lisbon, Portugal running one of the most inspiring wine bars I’ve had the pleasure of visiting. Here is what I think makes this place so special, and what inspired my own dream of opening a wine bar someday:

1. They have a very strong brand

The bar does not serve food, is teensy tiny, and only operates for 4.5 hours, 5 days a week. Wow, what a super specific audience they must have! And that they do. Their loyal customers return again and again, appreciative of the rotating inventory, small-production and terroir-focused wine selection, and knowledgeable wine experts running the show. Lukas and Bruna have dialed in on their ideal customer and consistently deliver exactly what they want.

2. They form tight bonds with producers

Over the years, they’ve formed tight relationships with small-production Portuguese winemakers, cultivating a mutual exchange of trust and feedback. Bruna and Lukas regularly share their tasting notes and the producers know The Black Sheep for its quality and business integrity. Instead of hunting down great wines, producers now approach them and those relationships have an exponentially positive impact - both on the business and its hoard of loyal customers. Myself included.

3. They are adaptable, creative, and forward-thinking

This is only the beginning for The Black Sheep. Lukas and Bruna want to start creating guided tasting videos to go along with their rotating inventory and explore other accessible wine education projects that revolve around their awesome little wine bar. In 2024 they won the Lisbon Insiders Winsome Wine Bars award. It goes to show, bigger is not always better. Their potent little wine bar packs a gnarly, impressive punch in the Lisbon wine scene.

I feel inspired - don’t you?

Lessons From A Lisbon Wine Bar