The Portland area has a lot of wine bars these days — so many, in fact, that it can be a challenge to pick amongst the bunch. And with so many great wine lists to choose from, why not just go by pure vibes? Whether the mood calls for a day trip to the Columbia River Gorge or just a quick trip to Sullivan’s Gulch for good wine and focaccia, this list has a spot for every type of drinker — pure pleasure with no wine knowledge required (unless, of course, that’s your thing).    For Those Seeking an Unfussy Early Aughts Gastropub Vibe: Heavenly Creatures 2218 NE Broadway, Portland Sommelier Joel Gunderson opened Heavenly Creatures as a sensuous wine bar with the bacchanal spirit of an early aughts gastropub. His intriguing wine list and knowledgeable staff allow visitors to delve further into maceration time and soil quality if they like, or simply enjoy the drinks. It’s the type of place where you can sip a bright, mineral Ghislaine Barthod Les Gaviers 2024chardonnay with creamy brined picholine olives and otherworldly focaccia that comes in charred triangles served with an oval of lemon dill butter sprinkled with flaky salt. All sipped and tasted while watching wax cascading down candles along the bar besides short teardrop vases with dried flower arrangements. Small tables fill the lushly rustic space as buzzy bossa nova music trickles through the speakers lightly giving a final polish to the lovely space. For the Person Who Loves a Pristine Pairing: Parallel Wine Bar 3101 NE Sandy Boulevard, Portland The menus at Parallel Wine Bar with Stacey Gibson’s wine list, and then Joey Gibson creates dishes that meld with them. On a recent visit, a Chosen Family Willamette Valley chardonnay, a pineapple chard with a light, creamy touch, complemented a salad composed of little gem lettuce and crunchy, slender croutons bathed in a lemon anchovy dressing and a generous snow of Fiore Sardo cheese as recommended on the menu. This charming bright, blue-accented wine bar offers fried chicken and bubbles on Thursdays and brunch items like biscuits and gravy and French toast sticks on weekends. The Read-a-Book-With-Oysters-and-Champagne Wine Bar: Bar Diane Entrance on NW 21st Avenue between Irving Hoyt, Portland This chic wine bar around the corner from founder Sami Gaston’s wine shop, Négociant, is a popular hangout for tourists who want to read the books they just bought at Powell’s with a glass of bubbles and maybe a $2 oyster (a happy hour deal on Mondays). However, it also attracts groups celebrating special occasions, couples looking for a romantic spot, and wine fans for a glass at the bar. You can show up and spend a short or long time here nibbling on snacky things like caviar with creme fraiche and potato chips or crisp panisse with herbed tahini. For those who are a bit hungrier, there are more substantial dishes such as mussels steamed in white wine with fennel, shallots, and dill or an 8-ounce steak Diane with potato strings while sipping carefully sourced reds, whites, roses, and bubbles.  For Open-Minded Wine Fans Willing to Cross the Columbia: Niche Wine Bar Riverview Tower, 900 Washington Street #130, Vancouver, Washington Leah Jackson, owner of Niche Wine Bar, has been a wine whisperer in Vancouver, Washington, for over a decade. Her cozy nook-filled bar served as a space where locals could get a glass of wine and nice bar snacks ages before the Vancouver Waterfront added a slew of Washington State wine tasting rooms. Jackson hand-picks every bottle in her shop. A trip to Niigata and Sado Island in Japan several years ago yielded a selection of high-quality sake, too. She also has a fondness for vermouth and bubbles. For her Crow Flight, Jackson chooses a custom line-up of pours for each guest: “The Wine Gods will serve you what they serve you,” as she puts it. Jackson enjoys opening minds and palates. Her goal is to have customers ignore the menu and simply ask, “What should I drink today?”  For Day-trippers: Soça 120 N. Main Avenue, White Salmon, Washington Named for the turquoise river that runs through Slovenia into Italy, this light- and plant-filled space is worth a trip to the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge. Wine maker and owner Bethany Kimmel offers an excellent selection of wine from the Columbia Gorge AVA (where wine experimentation is proliferating) as well as bottles from around the world that fit her own sensibilities (i.e., thoughtful farming, low intervention). Kimmel previously worked at Oak Rose Farm just across the bridge in Hood River and plans her menu with the local bounty and assistance from Anthony Dao, who worked at Michelin-starred restaurants in New York City including the Nomad Hotel, the Finch, and Casa Mono before returning to Hood River to join the acclaimed team at Hiyu Wine Farm. In addition to assisting Kimmel, Dao currently operates a roving deli and pop-up restaurant called Dao Deli. ...read more read less