Sky-High Views, Surprisingly Thoughtful Pours
Downtown · Portland · Pan-Asian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 10, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You step off the elevator onto the 15th floor of The Nines Hotel and the wine list is the last thing on your mind — the city sprawls out below you and the room hums with energy. But when you actually sit down with the menu, there's more going on than the rooftop-bar-with-a-wine-list cliché suggests. Oregon gets its proper due, and the sake section signals that someone here is actually paying attention to what's being served.
The list runs 60-100 bottles and leans predictably on Oregon Pinot Noir — but leans well, with Walter Scott and CHO Wines' Dreamer's Reserve representing serious Willamette Valley producers rather than filler labels. France, Italy, Germany, and Chile round out the international section without much surprise, and the inclusion of Japanese sake alongside wine is the most interesting curatorial move on the whole list. The geographic range is solid, but don't come here expecting deep cuts from Jura or a dusty back-vintage Burgundy — this is a hotel rooftop, and the list reflects that reality without completely surrendering to it.
Thirteen by-the-glass options is a respectable count, and the $14–$22 price range is honest for the format and setting. The Crémant de Bourgogne from Famille Vincent is a smart glass-pour choice — bubbles that don't require a Champagne budget. We'd love to see more rotation here, but what's on offer covers the bases without embarrassing anyone.
Crémant de Bourgogne, Famille Vincent — $16
Méthode traditionnelle bubbles from Burgundy at a glass-pour price that won't make you wince. It's the smartest order on the list if you want something celebratory without the Champagne markup on an already-steep rooftop menu.
CHO Wines 'Dreamer's Reserve' Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley '21
CHO Wines is a small, BIPOC-owned Oregon producer that most guests will scroll right past in favor of a more familiar name. That's a mistake. The Dreamer's Reserve is the kind of Willamette Pinot that earns its place on any serious list, and here it sits quietly among the hotel-bar suspects waiting to be discovered.
Generic Chile or Italy bottle selections at top-end bottle pricing
The lower-tier international bottles from Chile and Italy sit at price points that don't reflect their actual market value — you're paying for the elevator ride and the view, not what's in the glass. If you're going bottle on the international side, push toward Oregon or France where the list actually has conviction.
Walter Scott Pinot Noir, Oregon + Departure Wings
Walter Scott makes Pinot with enough acidity and red fruit brightness to cut through the sticky, savory glaze on the wings without steamrolling the dish. It's a better call than defaulting to something heavier, and it keeps the Pacific Northwest theme running all the way through the meal.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Departure is not a wine destination, but it's a better wine list than the rooftop-hotel format deserves — Oregon producers anchor it with real credibility, and the sake program adds a dimension most comparable spots ignore entirely. Send a friend here for the Walter Scott and the view; tell them to skip the predictable Italian pour.
Northwest 23rd · Portland · Rustic French / Northwest French
St. Jack is the rare Portland restaurant where the wine list earns as much respect as the kitchen. The French-Oregon axis is well-executed, the staff knows what they're talking about, and the pot lyonnais format alone is worth the trip.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Portland · Mexico City–inspired tacos and small plates
Tope is a Wild Card in the best sense — a rooftop taqueria that's quietly assembled a natural and low-intervention wine list worth paying attention to. If you're eating here and only drinking mezcal cocktails, you're leaving half the story on the table.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Portland · Texan–Pacific Northwest, Wood-fired American
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.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown/Waterfront · Portland · Seafood, Pacific Northwest
King Tide earns its Wild Card badge by hiding a genuinely curious, well-priced wine list inside what could easily have been a forgettable hotel seafood room. If you're eating oysters on the Willamette, you could do a lot worse than Domaine de l'Écu in your glass.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Concordia · Portland · New American
Dame is the rare neighborhood restaurant where the wine list is genuinely worth the trip on its own. Send your friends here — just tell them to skip the safe picks and trust the list.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Buckman · Portland · Russian/Eastern European
Kachka is the best argument in Portland for drinking wines you've never heard of — the list is adventurous, the staff backs it up, and the food was built for exactly these bottles. Send every curious wine drinker you know.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Portland · Pan-Asian
Departure is a rooftop lounge that somehow didn't let the view make it lazy about wine — the markups are legitimately fair, the producers are real, and there's enough range to drink well through a full meal. Send a friend here, just make sure they look past the cocktail menu.
Solid Range
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Desert Ridge · Phoenix · Pan-Asian
For a resort restaurant in Phoenix, Kembara's wine list is genuinely above average — there's real thought behind it, especially in the white and lighter red selections that actually complement the food. The dessert wine and Port markups are a cash grab worth avoiding, but the Austrian and Alsatian options alone make it worth exploring before you default to a cocktail.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.