Argentine soul meets Old World bottles
Old Port · Portland · Wine Bar · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 19, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Franciska’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Thirty-two bottles in a 20-seat Argentine bodegón in Portland's Old Port — this is not a list trying to be everything to everyone, and that's exactly the point. The Spain and Portugal lean is deliberate and confident, not a gap. Walk in expecting a focused, curated hit list, not a novel.
The Iberian backbone is strong, with Spain and Portugal anchoring the list in a way that actually makes sense alongside empanadas and trout. What's interesting is the range — from a $60 pét-nat Riesling to a $262 Suenen Blanc de Blancs, there's real ambition tucked in here. The I Brand Cabernet Sauvignon at $165 feels like the lone New World outlier, a bit adrift without obvious companions. We'd love to see a few more producers in the $70–$100 bottle range to fill the middle, but what's here is genuinely considered.
Glass pours run $12–$18, which is fair for Portland's current market and reflects the care taken with the bottle list. The exact pour lineup isn't published prominently, but the range suggests rotation rather than a static house-pour situation. If you're coming in for a couple of glasses before dinner, you're not getting punished on price.
Dry Riesling Pétillant Naturel — $60
A pét-nat Riesling at $60 is exactly the kind of move that makes a small list worth trusting — it's adventurous, food-friendly, and priced where you don't have to think twice. Order it with the mussels and thank us later.
Suenen - Blanc de Blancs - Extra Brut
Suenen is a grower Champagne producer that most tables in America are sleeping on — precise, mineral, and genuinely electric. At $262 it's not cheap, but for what Suenen is delivering, this is the kind of bottle you split with someone and remember.
Cabernet Sauvignon - I Brand
At $165, this Cab feels like it wandered in from a different restaurant entirely. Nothing wrong with I Brand, but it doesn't fit the room, the menu, or the Iberian story Franciska is telling. There are better uses for $165 here.
Dry Riesling Pétillant Naturel + Mi'kmaq Trout
The pét-nat's natural effervescence and dry citrus edge cut right through the richness of the trout while echoing the New England sourcing ethos. It's the most coherent $60 you'll spend in Portland this year.
The Bottom Line
Franciska is a small list doing something genuinely specific in a city that deserves more of it — Iberian-focused, fairly priced, and built around a kitchen concept that actually connects to the wine. Yes, send a friend here, especially if that friend is tired of the usual.
East End · Portland · Sushi / Japanese
Mr. Tuna isn't a wine destination — it's a great sushi spot that happens to have two sensible, well-chosen bottles and a local can that makes the experience feel intentional. Come for the hand rolls, drink the Vinho Verde, and don't overthink it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Bayside · Portland · Seafood
A fast-casual raw bar with a wine list that punches well above its category — the French-only focus is a feature, not a limitation. If you're eating oysters in Portland, this is where you want to be drinking.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Deer Isle · Portland · Seafood Fine Dining
Aragosta is the rare case where the wine program matches the remoteness of the drive — you come all the way out here and find a 3,475-bottle cellar waiting for you. Yes, send your friends. Send everyone.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Old Port · Portland · Seafood, American
Scales is playing a different game than the tourist-trap seafood spots on either side of it — the wine list is genuinely Old World-focused and well-matched to the food, which is rare and worth noting. If you're eating clams and mussels on the Portland waterfront, this is where you want to be doing it with a glass in hand.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Arts District · Portland · Seafood, Californian, Contemporary Mexican
Regards isn't trying to be a wine bar, but whoever built this list understands exactly what the food needs and went hunting for it. If you're in Portland and want a bottle that actually earns its place on the table, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West End · Portland · French and Spanish
Chaval is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood brasserie in Portland — the list is small but curated by someone who actually cares, with pricing that doesn't punish curiosity. If you're open to going off the beaten path (xarel-lo, South African grenache blanc), this is a genuinely rewarding room to drink in.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Gilbert · Wine Bar
Divided Vine earns the Wild Card badge because it's doing something genuinely interesting in a market that doesn't have many wine-first spots worth seeking out — Arizona focus, rotating selections, staff that apparently knows the list, and a happy hour program that runs most of the week. We'd send a curious, open-minded friend here without hesitation; just go in ready to ask questions and let the staff point the way.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Acceptable
· Newark · Wine Bar
Enoteca Wine Bar earns its Wild Card badge by being exactly the kind of place Newark shouldn't be sleeping on — a focused Italian and Spanish program in a room built for lingering, at price points that don't punish you for ordering a second bottle. We'd want a closer look at the full list and glass pours before calling it a destination, but if you're in the neighborhood and want wine with your wood-fired pizza, this is a smarter bet than most.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Scranton · Wine Bar
The Loft earns its Wild Card badge by doing something genuinely uncommon in Scranton: building a wine bar with a real point of view, even if the public-facing details don't yet let us verify every bottle or price. If you're in downtown Scranton and want wine over cocktails, this is your best legitimate option — just go in curious, ask the staff what's open, and be willing to try something you wouldn't normally order.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
