Argentina meets Oregon over open fire
Eliot · Portland · Argentine-inspired wood-fired grilling · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 14, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Ox Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Ox reads like a road map drawn by someone who actually knows Argentina — not just Malbec-as-a-category, but specific producers, specific valleys, specific intentions. It's refreshingly focused without feeling narrow, and the Oregon section earns its place rather than just waving the home-state flag. This is a list built around what's on the grill, and that coherence shows.
Argentina anchors everything here, and it's done right — you've got Achaval Ferrer and Clos de los Siete for the crowd, Zuccardi Valle de Uco for the curious, and Chacra's Patagonian Pinot Noir for the person at the table who wants to go somewhere unexpected. Spain rounds out the Old World presence with enough variety to keep things interesting, and Oregon bottles show up with the kind of local credibility you'd expect from a restaurant that takes its sourcing seriously. The 100-150 bottle range hits a sweet spot: deep enough to reward exploration, focused enough that you're not drowning in choices. The main gap is a thinner showing from the rest of South America and virtually nothing from the Southern Hemisphere outside Argentina.
Ten to sixteen options by the glass is a genuinely solid program — that's not a token list, that's a real selection. Glass pours run $13-$20, which is fair for Portland in 2024 and reflects the quality level of what's being poured. We'd like to see more rotation to keep regulars engaged, but what's here covers the bases without being predictable.
Viña Cobos Felino Cabernet Sauvignon — $40
Cobos is one of Mendoza's most respected names, and the Felino entry point consistently overdelivers for its price. At the lower end of Ox's bottle range, this is serious Cabernet for not-serious money — especially next to a wood-fired cut of beef.
Chacra Pinot Noir Patagonia
Most people scanning this list zero in on Malbec and never look up. That's a mistake. Chacra's Patagonian Pinot is one of Argentina's most compelling wines — cool-climate, precise, and nothing like what the table next to you ordered. It's the bottle that makes you look smart.
Clos de los Siete Malbec
Michel Rolland's big-tent Malbec project is fine — it's just not interesting, and at a restaurant with Zuccardi and Achaval Ferrer on the same list, spending your dollars here is leaving flavor and story on the table.
Achaval Ferrer Malbec + Asado Argentino
This is the pairing that the list was basically designed around. Achaval Ferrer's Malbec has the weight and dark fruit to stand up to the char and fat of the asado, but enough structure that it doesn't just collapse into the meat. It's the obvious call — and the obvious call is correct.
The Bottom Line
Ox is doing the work on wine that most wood-fired meat spots never bother with — a focused, well-sourced list with a sommelier who can actually navigate it. If you're eating here and not drinking Argentine wine, you're leaving the best part of the experience on the table.
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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