Spain Comes to NE Portland, Gloriously
Northeast Portland · Portland · Spanish · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed April 12, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Toro Bravo’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 Toro Bravo reads like a love letter to the Iberian Peninsula, and we mean that in the best possible way. It's not sprawling, but it's intentional — every page feels like someone actually thought about what you'd want to drink while sharing jamón croquetas and gambas al ajillo with a table full of people you like. The Pacific Northwest representation is a nice nod to locality without distraction from the Spanish core.
The list leans hard into Spain — Txakoli, Albariño, Garnacha, Rioja Tempranillo, and Cava anchor the program and genuinely reflect the food coming out of the kitchen. The Pacific Northwest selections add regional texture without feeling forced, and the overall size (60-100 bottles) is right-sized for a tapas format where the wine is meant to complement, not compete. You're not going to find obscure Sherry or Priorat deep cuts here, but what's on offer is coherent and purposeful. The gaps are noticeable if you're a Spanish wine obsessive, but for most diners, this list delivers exactly what the room calls for.
Ten to fourteen by-the-glass options is a respectable pour program for a spot like this — enough variety to mix and match as plates arrive. The glass list mirrors the bottle list's Iberian focus, so you can sip Txakoli with your pan con tomate without needing to commit to a full bottle. Rotation doesn't appear to be aggressive, so don't expect surprises visit to visit, but the core selections hold up.
Toro Bravo Oak Seleccion Red NV — $16
At retail this is a $16 bottle, and if the restaurant is pouring it anywhere near that price, it's a no-brainer for a casual tapas night. House-adjacent pricing on a wine with the restaurant's own name on it means they're not squeezing you here.
Txakoli
Most people walk right past it for the Albariño, but Txakoli — that bright, low-alcohol, slightly spritzy Basque white — is the move at a tapas table. It cuts through the richness of dates wrapped in bacon and makes the whole spread taste fresher. People underorder it every time.
Cava
Cava is great in theory, but at a lively, loud tapas spot it tends to get ordered reflexively as a starter and forgotten. The markup on sparkling wine at casual restaurants rarely justifies the pour, and you're better served putting that spend toward a glass of something Iberian and still.
Albariño + Gambas al ajillo
Albariño's citrus edge and saline backbone are practically engineered for garlic shrimp. The wine's acidity cuts the olive oil, the brightness amplifies the heat, and you end up in a feedback loop of 'one more bite, one more sip' that doesn't resolve until the plate is clean.
The Bottom Line
Toro Bravo isn't trying to be a wine destination — it's trying to be the best Spanish tapas spot in Portland, and the wine list is a faithful accomplice to that mission. Send your friends here for dinner; just make sure they order the Txakoli.
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.
Washington · Washington · Spanish
A glass-focused, Spain-leaning wine menu with a full sherry section and no bottle list posted. Start with the $17 Valtravieso Crianza or the $25 La Vizcaína Mencía, and order the $12 Manzanilla Fina with the jamón if you want to see how the sherry list works. Confirm prices, since the menu is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
Atlanta · Atlanta · Spanish
Buena Vida doesn't have the deepest list in Atlanta, but they've done real work curating twenty bottles that actually match the food and the spirit of the place — and with 18 pours available by the glass at fair prices, it's one of the more inviting wine setups on the tapas scene. Send your friends here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Newark · Newark · Spanish
Spanish Tavern is a Newark institution worth visiting for the atmosphere and the paella, but the wine program doesn't quite match the room's ambitions. Drink something Spanish, keep it simple, and let the food carry the night.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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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