Georgia (The Country) Never Tasted This Good
Buckman · Portland · Russian/Eastern European · Visit Website ↗
Updated November 2026
Reviewed June 17, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Kachka’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You flip open the wine list at Kachka and immediately realize you have no idea what you're looking at — and that's the whole point. This is not a Napa Cab situation. Georgian amphora wines, Moldovan Feteasca Neagra, Armenian Areni: it's a different universe, and it's one of the most exciting wine lists in Portland for exactly that reason.
The list runs 80–120 bottles deep and reads like a passport through the former Soviet republics — Georgia dominates, with Pheasant's Tears and Alaverdi Monastery anchoring the natural wine section with qvevri-fermented whites and skin-contact oranges that make sense of the briny, pickled flavors on the zakuski menu. Moldova shows up with indigenous grape varieties most Portland diners couldn't pick out of a lineup, and Armenian Areni producers round things out with earthy, tannic reds that deserve far more attention than they get. You'll find almost nothing from France, Italy, or California — and that's a deliberate choice that pays off completely. The gaps are mostly the familiar stuff you don't need here anyway.
Ten to sixteen options by the glass, and the rotation leans heavily into the Georgian and Eastern European strengths of the bottle list rather than defaulting to crowd-pleaser Pinot Gris. That's commitment. Staff can walk you through the unfamiliar names without making you feel like a tourist, which matters a lot when half the producers on the board require an explanation.
Pheasant's Tears Rkatsiteli — $14
Amber-hued, funky, and made in a qvevri the way it's been done in Georgia for 8,000 years — you won't find this quality of natural skin-contact wine at this price point almost anywhere else in Portland.
Alaverdi Monastery Mtsvane
Made by actual monks using ancient winemaking techniques on a 1,000-year-old estate — it's obscure enough that most tables walk right past it, but it's one of the most genuinely singular bottles on the list.
Any generic European import listed at the back of the menu
If you've come to Kachka and you're ordering something safe and recognizable, you've missed the entire point of this list — and you're almost certainly overpaying for the privilege of being boring.
Pheasant's Tears Rkatsiteli + Herring Under a Fur Coat
The oxidative, tannic grip of the Rkatsiteli cuts right through the fatty richness of the herring and beet layers — it's the kind of pairing that makes you wonder why you ever drank Chardonnay with fish.
The Bottom Line
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.
Dundee · Portland · Italian, French, American
The official site identifies The Dundee Bistro as closed. The wine selections described here are historical context, not current availability. This notice does not establish a closure date or a future reopening.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Pearl District · Portland · Italian/Mediterranean
A restaurant list with 15 pours by the glass from $11 to $17 and a bottle list from 40 to 1100, split by country. Start with the Hacienda Lopez de Haro Rioja Crianza '22 at $12, or the Tenuta di Lilliano Chianti Classico '22 at $16 alongside the Radiatore, and confirm prices because the list is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Southeast Portland · Portland · Charcuterie/American
A charcuterie restaurant with a natural-leaning wine list and a 12-pour glass list on the dinner menu. Start with the $14/glass Hoppenot gamay, or split the $55 Stick Figurine orange wine across a board, and confirm current availability. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
King · Portland · Spanish
A Spanish tapas-bar wine page with glass and bottle prices from 13/50 and a ten-sherry list. Start with the Pago del Cielo Celeste Verdejo at 13 a glass, try the chilled Vara y Pulgar Tintilla at 17 if you want something different, and order the Miquel Pons Cava with the croquetas. The page says the posted menu may differ from the restaurant's, so confirm prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Portland · New American with Asian Influences
A long list sorted by style, with glass pours from $9.50 to $20, a Coravin tier above that, and bottles that climb to $750. Start with the A to Z at $13.50 or the Roederer Estate Brut at $20, and confirm current prices because the list isn't dated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Alberta Arts · Portland · Italian
An Italian-leaning bottle list with an Oregon side, and no glass pours posted. Order the $65 Bow and Arrow Gamay, or the $65 Keltis 'Zan White' Slovenian Orange Blend if you want an orange wine, and confirm availability. This unrated guide covers the posted Spring & Summer ’26 beverage menu, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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