Buona Notte Appartamento — Attraction in Portland

While in Portland for an extended weekend trip, my wife and I stopped by the Buona Notte tasting room—and we were very glad we did. The tasting room is a small studio within a larger warehouse with only a few tables, which felt fitting since we were the only guests there. It’s run by the winemaker himself, Graham. Luckily, our timing was perfect: we caught him just as he was opening a little later than usual after coming directly from harvest.

We both did the full tasting, which ended up being about seven or eight of his wines. The whites and rosé were good—just not really my style—but I really enjoyed all the reds, especially the Merlot and Sangiovese. They had a distinct terroir imprint that made them unique.

We had dinner plans immediately after, so we didn’t order food. However, we mentioned wanting to try Cowbell, a restaurant in the neighborhood where Graham sources his food. He generously put together a small plate for us to sample—and it was delicious.

Throughout the tasting, we enjoyed chatting with Graham and learning about the Columbia Gorge grape-growing regions as well as his path into winemaking. The whole experience felt casual and unhurried, which is often not the case at larger wineries in the Willamette Valley. I’ll also add that the prices seemed very reasonable. Unfortunately, since we only had carry-on luggage, bringing bottles back wasn’t an option. Next time the wine fridge needs stocking, we’ll definitely look to have a few shipped—not just because the wines were excellent, but because they’ll remind us of an awesome and unexpected highlight of our short stay...

Fantastic wines embodying the Italian tradition and varietals! Love the care and attention to the natural wine process, run by a nice and fun owner! The space is beautiful and well lit in a cool industrial spot.

I enjoyed a tasting to try a bit of everything and the entire line up was great (especially the...

Loved everything about our tasting here! The food was delicious, the wine incredible and our lovely host was a delight! We're already booking our next reservation to come back! Be sure to check out the hidden...