Portland's Most Serious Wine Room, Full Stop
West End · Portland · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Twelve’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The list lands heavy — 150-plus bottles anchored in Austria, Champagne, and Burgundy, which immediately tells you someone here has actual opinions. This isn't a list built to move product; it's built to make a point. That point being: Portland, Maine can hang with the big rooms.
The Austrian thread running through this list is the most interesting thing happening on the Maine restaurant wine scene right now. Moric shows up as a cornerstone — Roland Velich's Blaufränkisch is one of the most intellectually honest red wines made anywhere, and the fact that it's here instead of another Napa Cab says everything. Champagne gets the full treatment too, with tête de cuvée options that put this list in conversation with serious urban wine programs. Grand cru Burgundy rounds out the prestige tier, and while those bottles will cost you, their presence confirms this isn't window dressing — someone is actually curating.
With 15-25 pours available, the by-the-glass program punches well above what you'd expect in a waterfront dining room in New England. The rotation tracks the broader list's Old World lean, so you're not stuck choosing between two Chardonnays and a Malbec. Show up curious and order what you don't recognize — that's the right move here.
Moric Blaufränkisch — null
We can't print a confirmed price, but Moric on any restaurant list is worth hunting — it's a wine that consistently punches above its retail value, and a program smart enough to carry it is one worth trusting with your money.
Moric Blaufränkisch
Most tables will gravitate toward the Burgundy or pop for a Champagne, and Moric will get ignored. Don't let that happen. Velich's Blaufränkisch from Burgenland is one of the great undersung reds of Europe — earthy, precise, and nothing like the fruit-bomb crowd expects. It's the most interesting bottle on this list that most people will never order.
Grand Cru Burgundy
The grand cru selections are probably legitimate, but restaurant markup on prestige Burgundy is almost always a losing game for the diner. Unless you're celebrating something that requires a famous label, your money travels further elsewhere on this list — like toward the Austrian section, where the prices are likely saner and the wine is just as compelling.
Tête de Cuvée Champagne + Lobster roll on a flaky croissant
Butter on butter. The richness of the croissant and the sweetness of Maine lobster need something with enough acidity and tension to cut through — and a prestige cuvée Champagne brings exactly that, plus the kind of toasty complexity that makes the whole thing feel like a special occasion even on a Tuesday.
The Bottom Line
Twelve is building one of the most credible wine programs in New England, full stop — the Austrian focus alone makes it worth the trip. Markups lean steep at the top end, but the depth and intention of the list earn the badge.
East End · Portland · Sushi / Japanese
Mr. Tuna isn't a wine destination — it's a great sushi spot that happens to have two sensible, well-chosen bottles and a local can that makes the experience feel intentional. Come for the hand rolls, drink the Vinho Verde, and don't overthink it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Bayside · Portland · Seafood
A fast-casual raw bar with a wine list that punches well above its category — the French-only focus is a feature, not a limitation. If you're eating oysters in Portland, this is where you want to be drinking.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Deer Isle · Portland · Seafood Fine Dining
Aragosta is the rare case where the wine program matches the remoteness of the drive — you come all the way out here and find a 3,475-bottle cellar waiting for you. Yes, send your friends. Send everyone.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Old Port · Portland · Seafood, American
Scales is playing a different game than the tourist-trap seafood spots on either side of it — the wine list is genuinely Old World-focused and well-matched to the food, which is rare and worth noting. If you're eating clams and mussels on the Portland waterfront, this is where you want to be doing it with a glass in hand.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Arts District · Portland · Seafood, Californian, Contemporary Mexican
Regards isn't trying to be a wine bar, but whoever built this list understands exactly what the food needs and went hunting for it. If you're in Portland and want a bottle that actually earns its place on the table, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West End · Portland · French and Spanish
Chaval is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood brasserie in Portland — the list is small but curated by someone who actually cares, with pricing that doesn't punish curiosity. If you're open to going off the beaten path (xarel-lo, South African grenache blanc), this is a genuinely rewarding room to drink in.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
7th Ave / Dolores · Carmel By The Sea · New American
Seventh & Dolores isn't a destination wine list, but it's a respectable one that at least knows where it is geographically. Come for the steak, order the Wrath, and don't expect to go down any rabbit holes.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail · Vail · New American
Vin48 is a genuinely surprising wine program hiding inside a Colorado ski resort, and if you're a wine-first diner passing through Vail, it absolutely warrants a stop. The markups reflect the zip code more than we'd like, but the depth and curation of the list are the real deal.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Solvang · Solvang · New American
Root 246 is the rare hotel restaurant that actually earns your wine attention — a focused Santa Barbara County list with real producers, a sommelier who knows the material, and pricing that doesn't punish you for being curious. If you're passing through Solvang wine country, this is where you eat.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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