Chainsaw Charm With a Decent Pour
Tigard · Portland · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed April 10, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed McCormick & Schmick's Grill’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at McCormick & Schmick's doesn't try to surprise you — and honestly, that's fine. It's a chain seafood house doing chain seafood house things, but the by-the-glass pricing is genuinely hard to argue with. You flip open the menu expecting to get gouged and instead find $7 pours of wines that retail for double digits.
The list runs 60-100 bottles deep and sticks firmly to recognizable West Coast and New World names: California, Washington, Oregon, New Zealand, and Argentina make up the bulk of it. Entry-level crowd-pleasers like Mark West Pinot Noir and Sterling Merlot anchor the accessible end, while Caymus, Duckhorn, Stags' Leap, and a trio of Orin Swift bottles (8 Years in the Desert, Abstract, Palermo) give the list a bit of ambition at the top. There are no real deep-cuts or obscure producers here — this list is built for the person who wants something familiar and good with their Dungeness crab, not the person hunting for a grower Champagne. The gap between the everyday pours and the premium bottles is wide, with not much interesting territory in between.
The by-the-glass program splits into a standard tier around $7 and a premium tier around $9, with 10+ options total — solid coverage for a seafood-focused menu. You'll find Acrobat Pinot Gris, Bonterra Chardonnay, and Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling doing the heavy lifting alongside the fish. Rotation appears minimal — this reads more like a set program than one that changes with the seasons.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $7
Retails for $9 and you're paying $7 a glass at a restaurant — that math almost never works in your favor. It's an off-dry Washington Riesling that's a natural with oysters on the half shell, and at this price you're not sweating whether to order a second pour.
Orin Swift 8 Years in the Desert
Most people at a chain seafood spot are reaching for the Chardonnay or Pinot Noir and leaving the Orin Swift bottles untouched. 8 Years in the Desert is a Zinfandel-forward blend that's bold enough to stand up to cedar-plank salmon glazed with something sweet or smoky — it's the most interesting bottle on the list and it tends to get ignored.
Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio
At $7 a glass it's technically priced fine, but Ecco Domani is grocery store Pinot Grigio with a restaurant markup applied to something that should cost less than a coffee. With Acrobat Pinot Gris sitting right next to it for $9, there's no reason to settle.
Acrobat Pinot Gris + Fresh fish of the day
Oregon Pinot Gris has the weight to hold its own against a seared or pan-roasted daily fish without walking all over it. Acrobat is crisp with a bit of texture, and at $9 a glass it's the kind of pairing that makes the whole meal click without any effort.
The Bottom Line
McCormick & Schmick's isn't where you go to geek out on wine, but the by-the-glass pricing is legitimately fair and the list has just enough range to handle a solid seafood dinner. Send your parents here; just steer them away from the Ecco Domani.
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.
· Flowery Branch · Seafood
Fish Tales is on Lake Lanier, which should be a natural setting for a thoughtful selection of cold, crisp whites. Instead, the wine program is a single bottle of heavily buttered California Chardonnay. We'd recommend sticking to whatever's on tap and revisiting the wine situation if anything changes.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Perimeter Center · Dunwoody · Seafood
Louisiana Bistreaux is genuinely worth visiting for the food — the seafood is the draw, full stop. But if wine is part of your evening, don't come here expecting the list to match the kitchen's ambition. Order the crawfish ravioli, get a cocktail or a cold beer, and save the wine exploration for somewhere that's put in the work.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Cartersville · Seafood
Maine Street Coastal Cuisine is a seafood spot that doesn't take wine seriously, and the five-label, all-$7, no-producer list makes that clear without apology. If you're here for the food, drink the cocktails or crack a beer — the wine list isn't worth the conversation.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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