The Old Portland Wine Bar

A Dive Bar with the Finest Wine

Imagine entering an old warehouse for an underground punk rock show. All the features are there - the dim lighting, the slight must in the air, the mixture of concrete, shiplap and exposed insulation - and when you go to the bar for a drink, find out they only serve aged Bordeaux. This anomaly is what you can expect at The Old Portland Wine Bar.

Given its name, there are no secrets as to what it’s all about. The Old Portland, at heart, is a callback to an era of Portland that was much different than today. Back in the 80’s and 90’s, what is now known as the Pearl District used to be a blighted sweep of run-down warehouses and seedy bars. Yet it was exactly this derelict landscape that became the compost for a budding counterculture. Claiming this landscape as their own, Portland became a paradise for eccentric creators who defied homogeneous culture encroaching on their ability to live on the cheap, think freely and make art. 

Conceptualized by Courtney Taylor-Taylor of alt-rock legends The Dandy Warhols and housed within their Slabtown clubhouse/recording studio known as “The Odditorium,” The Old Portland has captured and bottled this atmosphere of Portland just before the turn of the century. A salute to the freedom of imperfection, the warehouse itself looks like it doesn’t fit in with its newer, sleeker neighboring buildings (think Carl Fredricksens house in Disney's Up). That’s because Taylor-Taylor has repeatedly refused to sell this gem, despite ludicrous offers from developers who would likely replace it with something hauntingly predictable.

The Old Portland is a wine bar like no other - a far cry from the distinguished wineries and tasting rooms of the Willamette Valley (no Oregon Pinots to be found here, either). It almost doesn’t feel like a bar, but rather the cuddy of an old fishing boat retired to its moorings, with sailors swinging their goblets and sharing fish stories. This is a safe space for eclectic congregation - a callback to the roots of Weird Portland. Bartender Chris Thompson says that when he’s behind the stick, it’s all about approachability and connection. “I am not a sommelier. I never want to be a sommelier. When someone comes to the bar, I ask if they want red, white, pink, or bubbly. Most are happy not to have to pick from a long, complicated list of wines. Then, I give them the option of taking one of our intimate tables for some alone time, or sitting in the pit.” The pit, as Chris so endearingly calls it, is not like the mosh pit of a rock show with bodies slamming into each other. Here it’s a mellow circle of chairs, where patrons swirl their glasses and hobnob with strangers, soon to be friends. Chris takes great pleasure in weaving this web of connections.

The ironic twist to this whole vibe is that, despite the ultrasimple menu, it is actually really, really good wine. Taylor-Taylor, being a Francophile, has materialized his dream of serving only French wine, particularly Bordeaux aged 10 or more years. The concept of a punk rock dive bar that serves the most prestigious of French wine is one that deserves a chuckle and a nod of appreciation for its flagrant thumbing of the nose to anyone or anything that takes itself too seriously. 

The interior of this intimate space is adorned with memorabilia from Portland’s colorful history. The bar shelves are repurposed from old locker room benches from the historic Multnomah Athletic Club, bedecked with a haphazard mix of vintage wine bottles and tchotchkes of a bygone Portland era. In the corner of the bar, surrounded by posters and show bills from Portland venues that cease to exist, is a shrine to David Bowie and his time spent at The Odditorium. The Dandy Warhols toured with Bowie and became very close with him during his Reality Tour. His favorite red victorian chair sits regally in the dim light, and just being near it allows you to absorb all the residual Ziggy Stardust power. 

The crown jewel of the bar is the marquee from the legendary nightclub Satyricon, which served as the epicenter for the counterculture revolution of the 80’s and 90’s, hosting raucous shows where many now-famous bands cut their teeth in the early days. When it closed in 2010, the original marquee was anonymously gifted to The Old Portland. Looking up at it gives you butterflies as you can’t help but imagine the names it once bared - what it lived through and witnessed outside of its fabled club.

As Portland continues to evolve into a mature metropolis, there will inevitably be changes in the architecture, culture and vibe. As this evolution carries on, we are lucky to have a few places that remind us of our origins, and the calling cards that put us on the map in the first place. The Old Portland is an ode to the rebels and rare birds - a monument of imperfection - a mashup between punk rock and fine wine that defies any expectation of what either should entail. This is the perfect place to take a date or meet up with friends, where you can feel privy to a protected secret as well as feeling like you’re at home with family. You might even rub elbows with some rock legends. If low-key authenticity is your vibe, be sure to stop by The Old Portland for a glass of aged Bordeaux and a colloquial atmosphere of tangible Portland history.