Oregon's Greatest Hits, Served With Swagger
Downtown · Portland · New American
Reviewed April 14, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Imperial arrives feeling like the restaurant itself — a little grand, a little hotel-polished, leaning hard into its Pacific Northwest identity. Oregon producers anchor the top of the list, which is exactly what you want when you're sitting inside what amounts to a love letter to the state. The format is clean and approachable, though the prices remind you quickly that you're dining adjacent to the Hotel Lucia.
The list runs 150-200 bottles deep with a clear Pacific Northwest spine — Oregon Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris do the heavy lifting, and they've curated well: Evening Land Seven Springs, Adelsheim, and Eyrie all show up, which signals someone is paying attention and not just defaulting to the distributor's top-seller sheet. California and France fill out the flanks without much surprise, and there's enough range to keep a table of mixed drinkers engaged. That said, if you're hoping for adventurous detours — skin-contact wines, obscure appellations, anything that veers off the beaten path — you won't find them here. This is a confident, well-executed list built for broad appeal rather than rabbit holes.
The by-the-glass program runs 15-25 options in the $14-$22 range, which is respectable for a downtown Portland hotel restaurant. Expect solid Oregon representation in the pours — this isn't a place where the BTG list is just leftover bottles from last week. That said, there's no evidence of active rotation or a rotating gem program, so don't expect surprises; what's on the menu is what's on the menu.
Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Gris — $45–$55
Eyrie is the founding house of Oregon Pinot Gris — this is the grape's home appellation, and getting it at bottle prices in the low-to-mid range on this list is as close to a no-brainer as you'll find here. It's a historic pour for not a lot of money.
Lingua Franca Chardonnay
Most tables at Imperial are going to reach for Pinot Noir and call it a day. But Lingua Franca's Chardonnay — backed by Larry Stone's Burgundy-obsessed vision — is quietly one of the more serious Willamette Chardonnays in the state. It tends to get overlooked next to the Pinots, which means you can often drink it without a fight.
Adelsheim Pinot Noir
Adelsheim is a perfectly good Oregon producer, but at hotel restaurant markup it becomes a tough sell when Evening Land Seven Springs is sitting right next to it on the same list. You're paying for a name that grocery stores carry — push a little further and spend up for something you can't grab at New Seasons.
Evening Land Vineyards Seven Springs Pinot Noir + Wood-roasted chicken
Seven Springs Pinot has that savory, earthy backbone — red fruit with real structure underneath — that stands up to the smoke and fat from Imperial's wood-roasted chicken without running over it. It's the kind of pairing that feels inevitable once you try it.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Imperial isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the Oregon-focused list is well-curated and the staff knows what they're pouring — it's just priced for the zip code. Come for the food, let the wine enhance the evening, and don't expect your wallet to escape unscathed.
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
Broadway corridor · Fort Wayne · New American
Rune is doing something genuinely rare for its zip code: building a wine list with a real identity. Come on a Wednesday, order the Ovum, and feel good about finding a place like this.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
West Plano · Plano · New American
CraftWay Kitchen isn't trying to be a wine destination and doesn't pretend to be — but the markups are fair, the glass program is wide, and there's enough on the list to drink well with a solid meal. Send your friends here for dinner; just don't send them here for a wine education.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Clemmons · Winston Salem · New American
Sixty Vines is a solid, reliable wine stop in Winston-Salem — the by-the-glass breadth is real and the staff knows their stuff, but the list reads like a greatest hits album rather than anything adventurous. Come for the volume, stay for the pizza, but don't expect to have your mind changed about wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.