Texas smoke meets Oregon terroir, somehow it works
Downtown · Portland · Texan–Pacific Northwest, Wood-fired American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 17, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bullard Tavern’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Bullard Tavern doesn't scream 'wine destination' — it whispers it. For a place built around smoked brisket and fried chicken, the presence of Corison Cab and Lingua Franca Chard on the same list is a genuine surprise. This is a kitchen-first room that still took the time to put together something worth reading.
Thirty to fifty bottles is a tight canvas, but Bullard uses it well. The list leans into Oregon and California with a nod to Texas, which makes sense given the concept — you're not here for Burgundy, you're here for something that can go toe-to-toe with wood smoke and rendered fat. Bedrock Wine Co.'s Old Vine Zinfandel is exactly the kind of call that signals someone behind the scenes actually thought about the food. The Texas representation is a nice touch — rare to see it taken seriously outside of Texas itself, and it anchors the list's identity.
Eight pours in the $10–$16 range is a respectable by-the-glass program for a tavern format. The pricing doesn't gouge, which is more than you can say for most downtown Portland spots. We'd like to see the glass list rotate more aggressively — right now it feels like it was set once and left alone.
Bedrock Wine Co. Old Vine Zinfandel — $14
Old vine Zin at tavern prices is a rare thing. Bedrock makes some of the most honest, terroir-driven Zinfandel in California, and getting it by the glass in a room full of smoked meat is exactly the right call.
Lingua Franca Chardonnay
Most people at Bullard are ordering red wine with their brisket — fair — but the Lingua Franca Chard is an Eola-Amity Hills bottle that can handle richness. Skip the predictable Pinot and order this with the fried chicken. You'll be the most interesting person at the table.
Corison Cabernet Sauvignon
Corison is a legendary Napa producer and the wine is great — but at a tavern markup without the white-tablecloth context to justify it, you're paying Napa Cab prices for a brisket-and-beer room. Save this bottle for somewhere that can do it justice.
Bedrock Wine Co. Old Vine Zinfandel + Smoked Brisket
Old vine Zin has the fruit weight and peppery backbone to match wood-smoked beef without getting steamrolled by it. This is the combo Bullard was quietly built for.
The Bottom Line
Bullard Tavern is the Wild Card badge in its purest form — a smoked-meat joint that snuck in a genuinely considered wine list without making a fuss about it. Send a friend here if they think good wine and good brisket can't coexist.
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