Great day in the valley - Our day with Joao was exceptional and I'd highly recommend the tour to anyone visiting the region. He's incredibly knowledgeable about the region, the wines, and the culture. Every place we visited was great and they treat you like family when you're visiting with Joao. Lunch was fantastic and the conversation even better. If you're thinking of a tour, this is the one you should be booking.

Perfect day - Our day with Joao was exceptional! He is kind knowledgeable and a complete professional. His knowledge of the Douro Valley comes from the heart . I Truly believe he can only produce a perfect day for all his clients because he loves his valley and craft. Our money and time was well spent today, special thanks Joao your a great person and wine expert! Regards Noel and Salvatore

Very fun time - Wonderful and knowledgeable sommelier, visited excellent wineries with great selections, and a tasty authentic lunch!

Great Douro valley day - We had booked with another company who canceled 3 days before. I think it was lucky as we had the best day with Joao. He picked us up at our hotel (and brought us back). We visited 3 vineyards and had very private personal experiences at each one tasting reds, whites and ports. He was so very knowledgeable but also explained easily for those of us less wine knowledgeable! As a trained sommelier he would also be great for someone with lots of knowledge. Despite having a very nice lunch planned he was very flexible and accommodated our request for no lunch and no boat tour. It was a great day!

A Perfect Day with Joao in the Douro Valley - We have a wonderful experience on our private wine tour with Somm Tours Douro. Our tour guide/sommelier was Joao Koehler. He picked up my husband and I at the Torel 1884 Hotel in Porto. Joao was relaxed, friendly, spoke excellent English, and extremely knowledgeable of the Duoro Valley having grown up there. It was a beautiful drive from Porto to Pinhao. From there we took a lovely boat ride on the Douro River. Our boat guide, Barbara, explained what we seeing and the history of the area. After that, we tasted some magnificent port wines nearby. Joao knew people at the local wineries and they treated us like royalty. The afternoon was followed up by a spectacular lunch featuring some traditional Portuguese dishes. After lunch, we visited another winery on a hilltop with a fabulous view of the valley. After a perfect day, Joao drove us back to our hotel. We would absolutely highly recommend Sommtoursdouro.com. Be sure to ask for Joao. Many thanks for a very memorable experience. We will be back!

Great experience!! Off the charts!! - Extraordinary experience!! We had an amazing time in Douro Valley, the best in Portugal!! Joao is impressively knowable and a superb guide, off the charts!! We enjoyed learning and sight seeing was breathtaking. Loved this tour, totally recommend when in Portugal!!

Joao - more than 5 stars! - What can I say...Joao was clearly best in class as a Sommelier. His knowledge was second to none, and we thoroughly enjoyed our day with him. We were a group of 7 33yo lads, on an annual reunion - our reunions are very important to all of us, and our trip with Joao certainly enhanced our trip to Porto! He went out of his way to take us to a local restaturant for lunch, on our request. It was fantastic! Thoroughly recommend Joao to anyone considering doing a trip up the Douro Valley to explore the wine region.

Remarkable Douro Valley Tasting - Joao provides an intimate alternative to large one-size-fits-all tour operators. The Douro is his home, and his wine knowledge is unparalleled. His tour is an all-day endeavor and explores the twists and turns of the valley and the wine it produces. You can expect to visit three wineries each offering uniquely world class wines. Lunch is a separate stop and is equally classy. For me, this tour is worthy of five stars because you can expect to indulge in the highlights of this great region and skip the tourist traps. I would recommended this tour to anyone from wine experts to novices. Don't second guess yourself!

Treat Yourself. This Is Amazing, and Well Worth It. - This was the most absolutely perfect day trip. Joao met us on time, and was very easy to get along with. He picked us up in his impeccably clean car, at our Air B&B, and we had a very pleasant ride out from Porto to the Douro Valley. We got to know a little about each other and our families, and then Joao proceeded to learn about our tastes in wine, and why we chose the Douro to visit, etc. He gave us some different options for the tour, which was great. We stopped at three separate locations, first a small, family run vineyard, then a larger, more commercial style location, and then he gave us a choice on our way back for our third and final stop (we chose a smaller one). Joao guided us through all of the tours and tastings, and provided additional information and education about the wines (and other options), in addition to what the tasting provided. One of the stops was in Pinhao, where we had an amazing lunch (included), which, of course, included a glass of wine, as well as a delicious dessert, and a glass of port. We discovered, through his background in not only the hospitality industry, but as a sommelier in the area, that he had personal contacts at every location (including lunch) that helped make sure we not only "got in", but got top notch service as well. For example, at the larger winery we visited, he was allowed to provide us with a "behind the scenes" tour, which allowed us to compare production methods and styles between the smaller winery we had seen earlier (foot stomping) and the larger one (machine crushing). We appreciated the personal attention, and not a simple repeat of the same information over and over. It should be noted that the views of the Douro Valley are not to be missed. Joao pulled over several times so we could get pictures from scenic areas, something that would have been very difficult in a larger tour bus, for sure. This was, without question, and absolute FIRST CLASS experience. I am so happy to have chosen this route to see the Douro, and to have such a friendly, professional, and knowledgeable expert such as Joao as our personal guide. Our entire day was almost ten hours, and it was absolutely amazing. Thank you, Joao, for an unforgettable experience.

Unforgettable experience! - We had a terrific day with João. He is very knowledgeable and a very pleasant personality. The Douro Valley is magnificent, we visited 3 wineries of different styles and we definitely needed an experienced driver. This tour was worth every penny. Thank you João for this memorable day!