Twelve
Portland's Most Serious Wine Room, Full Stop
West End · Portland · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The list lands heavy — 150-plus bottles anchored in Austria, Champagne, and Burgundy, which immediately tells you someone here has actual opinions. This isn't a list built to move product; it's built to make a point. That point being: Portland, Maine can hang with the big rooms.
Selection Deep Dive
The Austrian thread running through this list is the most interesting thing happening on the Maine restaurant wine scene right now. Moric shows up as a cornerstone — Roland Velich's Blaufränkisch is one of the most intellectually honest red wines made anywhere, and the fact that it's here instead of another Napa Cab says everything. Champagne gets the full treatment too, with tête de cuvée options that put this list in conversation with serious urban wine programs. Grand cru Burgundy rounds out the prestige tier, and while those bottles will cost you, their presence confirms this isn't window dressing — someone is actually curating.
By the Glass
With 15-25 pours available, the by-the-glass program punches well above what you'd expect in a waterfront dining room in New England. The rotation tracks the broader list's Old World lean, so you're not stuck choosing between two Chardonnays and a Malbec. Show up curious and order what you don't recognize — that's the right move here.
Moric Blaufränkisch — null
We can't print a confirmed price, but Moric on any restaurant list is worth hunting — it's a wine that consistently punches above its retail value, and a program smart enough to carry it is one worth trusting with your money.
Moric Blaufränkisch
Most tables will gravitate toward the Burgundy or pop for a Champagne, and Moric will get ignored. Don't let that happen. Velich's Blaufränkisch from Burgenland is one of the great undersung reds of Europe — earthy, precise, and nothing like the fruit-bomb crowd expects. It's the most interesting bottle on this list that most people will never order.
Grand Cru Burgundy
The grand cru selections are probably legitimate, but restaurant markup on prestige Burgundy is almost always a losing game for the diner. Unless you're celebrating something that requires a famous label, your money travels further elsewhere on this list — like toward the Austrian section, where the prices are likely saner and the wine is just as compelling.
Tête de Cuvée Champagne + Lobster roll on a flaky croissant
Butter on butter. The richness of the croissant and the sweetness of Maine lobster need something with enough acidity and tension to cut through — and a prestige cuvée Champagne brings exactly that, plus the kind of toasty complexity that makes the whole thing feel like a special occasion even on a Tuesday.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Twelve is building one of the most credible wine programs in New England, full stop — the Austrian focus alone makes it worth the trip. Markups lean steep at the top end, but the depth and intention of the list earn the badge.
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