![]() ![]() More than half our wine club members are from the surrounding 10 blocks! All ages, but generally the 25- to 40-something crowd. ![]() We’ve been truly amazed by how much the Buckman neighborhood has supported us. Some folks come in and never even realize that we make our wine on-site, simply taking us for another bar. More like a casual wine bar where you can meet friends and have a glass or three. Instead of an awkward tasting room, we opted for something cozy and informal. But our major difference is probably our Tasting Lounge. Lots of wineries do it, even ones with vineyards of their own.Īnyway, other than not growing our own grapes and being out in the country, we’re just a winery, same as anywhere. It’s actually not terribly unusual to produce wines from grapes grown elsewhere. But you can’t really grow grapes commercially in Portland and that’s where we want to be: In Town. And we love walking the vines and seeing the seasons change in the vineyard. Most folks put vineyards and wineries together in their mind. What are the similarities between you and a regular winery? What are the differences? The words “urban winery” conjure up different images. When most of us think of a winery, we think of expansive vineyards and sipping wine in a large garden. We made our first vintage in his bonded garage and then moved to our current location on Stark. I had seen some smaller wineries on a trip through the Loire Valley and remembered them being sort of “village-supported.” Thought we would give that a go here in Portland. I caught up with Sharp to learn more about the winery, the ethos behind it and what it means for craft wines on a larger scale.Ĭhris and I had been working at a winery in the Valley and decided it was time to cut the commute and try a different approach to winemaking. A locavore’s dream.īeyond being a comfortable space that draws a diverse neighborly crowd, Enso embodies the spirit of local, artisan goods. On the same block as local favorite Meat Cheese Bread, you can pair your glass of urban wine with a sandwich stacked tall with local ingredients and made on housemade bread. I could also be a sucker for anything that’s produced locally, but after a glass of the Resonate Red #2 – Enso wines are seasonal, so don’t expect to be able to get the same one if you visit – I was walking home with two bottles wrapped in brown paper bags.Ī collaboration between Ryan Sharp and Chris Wishart, who originally met when they were working at Arcane Cellars, Enso began in Wishart’s garage, but as of earlier this spring, they’ve been operating both the winery and tasting lounge out of a larger space in Southeast Portland. The mood is low key and yet the wine is exceptional, making you immediately want to take a few bottles home simply so you can open one up the next time your friends are over and say, “you know, this was made down the street.” Maybe it’s just because I’m a sucker for any place that invites taco trikes (yeah, trikes, not trucks) to serve food to the clientele on Friday afternoons, but anyplace that’s making and bottling wine in their back room gets five stars in my book.Īnd that’s exactly what Enso is: a chill urban space that’s less about pretentious wine sales and more about being a gathering spot for the neighborhood. ![]() If you can fall in love with a warehouse space turned into neighborhood bar this was love at first sight. ![]()
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