Portland is celebrated for its craft beer, farm-to-table food and quirky neighborhoods — but its urban winery scene? Criminally underrated. With at least 20 urban wineries operating within city limits, Portland has quietly built one of the most vibrant urban wine cultures in the country. And it’s not a passing trend — it’s a full-blown movement.
On one of my trips to Willamette Valley I was able to carve out time to explore Portland’s urban wineries firsthand. I also sat down with Laurie Lewis — president of the PDX Urban Wineries Association and co-owner/winemaker at Hip Chicks do Wine — who gave me the real insider scoop on what makes Portland’s urban wine scene so special. Make sure to read the full interview I did with her…
What Is an Urban Winery?
Before we dive in, let’s clarify the term — because it matters when you’re planning your visit.
An urban winery is a winemaking facility located in an urban setting rather than the traditional rural vineyard. The key distinction: they actually make wine on-site, not just pour it. Most urban wineries don’t grow their own grapes; instead, they source fruit from growers within established wine regions, then craft their wines right in the city.
This is different from a tasting room — several well-known names like Erath and Domaine Serene have Portland locations but produce their wine out in the Willamette Valley. Worth visiting? Absolutely. Urban wineries? Technically, no.
A Brief History of Urban Winemaking in Portland
Portland’s urban wine story begins in 1985 with Adams Winery, the city’s first urban winery, which operated until about 1994. The scene went quiet until 1999, when Laurie Lewis and her wife opened Hip Chicks do Wine. They launched their tasting room in 2001 — and are now considered Portland’s oldest urban winery, and possibly one of the oldest in the entire United States.
“Not only did we recently celebrate our 25th year as an urban winery, but we believe we are one of the oldest urban wineries in the US,” Laurie told me. “Back in 2001 or 2002, there were only three or four urban wineries in the country. Now there are urban wineries all over the US and abroad.”
From those early days, Portland has grown to include 16 urban wineries that are a part of the PDX Urban Wineries Association, along with several others not in the association.
Portland Urban Wineries to Sip
There are a number of urban wineries in Portland to explore. Since wine is always better with food – and a good patio – I narrowed down a list for your sipping explorations. Keep in mind, not all of these urban wineries are open seven days a week. They’re small wineries, so plan ahead, make a reservation and order an Uber.
Hip Chicks do Wine is known for their variety of wines and creative pairing events — Wine & Chocolate, Easter Candy & Wine, Halloween Candy & Wine, Bacon & Wine Pairing — Hip Chicks do Wine is a must.
STRATERA Cellars is a Chardonnay-focused urban winery with a fun twist — Japanese and Korean snacks and cups of noodles alongside their natural, traditional wines.
Fullerton Wines is one of the few urban wineries in Portland that’s also a full bistro, serving lunch and early dinner while you explore single-vineyard Pinot Noirs from every Willamette Valley AVA.
Oak Flat Vineyards is a Columbia Gorge AVA winery with a Portland bistro in the Belmont neighborhood, specializing in Rhône-style wines — Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and more.
Boedecker Cellars offers classic wine pairings with curated cheese and charcuterie. Boedecker has also received multiple awards from Wine Enthusiast and James Suckling for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
ENSO Winery is an urban winery and tasting lounge open seven days a week, featuring its own wines alongside international selections, beer, cider, and small bites — great flexibility for mixed groups.
Domaine Serene Wine Lounge is technically a tasting room (not an urban winery), but worth mentioning for its small bites and oysters paired with award-winning Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. Live music on the weekends. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Portland Wine Company earns a special mention for its outdoor patio alone — perfect for summer sipping. Their Love & Squalor Pinot Noir is genuinely delicious and a great bottle to seek out. They have also received multiple 90+ scores from Wine Spectator in 2024 for its Love & Squalor Pinot Noir, Garageland Pinot Noir, and Pet Nat Sparkling Riesling
Seven Bridges Winery is an urban winery in Portland specializing in Bordeaux blends.
Teutonic Wine Co is for you natural wine lovers. Their wines are influenced by the Middle-Mosel Valley in Germany and the Alsace regions in France. They only work with cool-climate growing sites, adhering to natural farming practices and minimal intervention, They’re all about natural winemaking—from the vineyard, to the cellar, to the bottle.
Amaterra Winery has a Portland address but sits far enough out to have vineyard space — I wouldn’t classify it as a true urban winery. It’s worth the drive if you want to get outside of the city for an easy vineyard escape that includes views, sips and dining at their onsite restaurant.
Both Division Winemaking Company and Rossini Winery do not have their own tasting rooms but you can find their pours at The Wine Yard in Portland.
There are a handful of urban wineries in Portland that do not have their own tasting rooms but they get out and about in town with pop-up wine tastings. A few to watch the event listing on their website are…
Elaine Schoch is an award-winning travel writer, wine judge, American Wine Specialist and certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET III). At Carpe Travel she shares wine travel destination guides for ALL WINE LOVERS – from novices to experienced pros – to help them plan their wine adventures, arming them with insider tips, must-visit spots, and things to see and do beyond the vines.