Get to Know Your Local Bottleshop: The Portland Bottle Shop

Friday, September 19, 2014

Tom Champine, GoLocalPDX Wine Expert

logo from official site

Portland is an awesome spot for local, independently owned wine shops that provide alternatives to the tier-end wine displays in supermarket. These are the small businesses and retailers offering some of the best finds in wine from around the world and covering all budgets.

For the fourth piece in our series on these local shops, we went south.

Sellwood isn’t exactly on my heavy rotation of neighborhoods to attack. Given its geographic location, for most Portlanders it’s probably more of a destination than a casual stop on the way home. That's unless you are one of the lucky ones living in this charming, river-adjacent neighborhood known for its antiques, coffee shops, and amusement park. This terrifically walkable community has a little of everything, including a destination bottle shop worth a stop.

The Portland Bottle Shop fits perfectly within the pedestrian friendly streets of Sellwood. Located at 7960 SE 13th Avenue, this beer, cider, and wine bottle shop has a terrific, carefully curated selection of beverages to sip now, and to take home to make your day even brighter. The shop is open 11:30 a.m.- 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays,11:30-a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and noon-7 p.m. Sundays.

Founded in 2011 by certified specialist of wine and sommelier Travis Motter and his wife, Emily, the Portland Bottle Shop offers an extensive, varied selection of beverage choices. Prior to opening the Portland Bottle Shop, Motter worked in wine in Maryland, managed the locally famous Woodstock Wine and Deli, and developed the wine program for Simpatica Dining Hall and Laurelhurst Market.

Motter’s experience as a restaurant sommelier most certainly plays into his ability to develop a keen menu, touching numerous regions and styles. There’s a wine here for everyone, from the savvy wine professional to the hurried dinner guest grabbing a chilly rose from the cooler (me, guilty as charged).

Motter’s experience also shines in his well-considered offering of bites from the kitchen. Pony up to one of the long tasting tables, order a glass of wine and a flight, and some nibbles like olive tapenade, smoked salmon mousse, or salty Marcona almonds. The glass selection changes regularly, so drop in and peruse the chalkboard behind the counter to see what’s new.

Also, check out their website, to see what’s in store for their Friday night beer and wine tastings.

On a recent visit, I picked up these gems:

Rose of Pinot Noir, Domaine Riffault, Sancerre Rose, Cortem a Batis, 2013, ($21) A pale pinky, think crushed tart strawberry, red raspberry, and excellent minerality. It was perfect with sheep’s milk cheese and fig butter.

Vermentino, Minimus Wines, Troon Vineyard Applegate Valley, 2013 ($20) Domestically grown vermentino is pretty uncommon, and produced by boundary-pushing winemaker Chad Stock, I jumped at this chance. Straw-colored, stony with fantastic acidity. Perfect with grilled peaches and salad!

Pinot Noir, Bethel Height Vineyards, South East Block Estate Vineyard, 2010 ($40) Pinot noirs produced from this particularly cool vintage for Oregon have my heart. With generous acidity, and low alcohol, I pick up cranberry and bing cherry on the palate, with a pleasing saline minerality.

Portland Bottle Shop: 7960 SE 13th Avenue, (503.232.5202) Tues-Wed 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday noon-7 p.m. Official Site

When not eating and drinking around Portland, sommelier Tom Champine works in Oregon’s wine country at Raptor Ridge Winery, performing national sales and market development.

Home Page Photo Credit: alexbrn via Compfight cc