What’s a Self-Pour Wine Bar? Find Out This Fall When One Opens in Portland

What exactly is a self-pour wine bar?

Exactly what it sounds like. According to Portland Old Port, Angoor will have between 32 and 48 different wines that will rotate. You pick what size you want from 2 to 6 ounces. You pick the wine you'd like to try and then you try it! Angoor wants it to be a go-at-your-own-pace kind of place.

The description of Angoor sounds like you will be traveling the world with all the different cultural influences. First, the name Angoor comes from the Indian word for grape. That's for co-founder Sangeeta Nasiff’s heritage. And the red white, and blue in the logo is a nod to the Puerto Rican flag, inspired by her partner Rafael Dones’ background.

The story of how Rafael and Sangeeta met is just as fascinating as the self-pour concept. They were neighbors who went on long dog walks and chatted from the porches of their homes. Then, one night they had a bottle of wine, and they went from friends to way more than just friends. Together they traveled the world and went to a ton of vineyards. They always talked about Sangeeta’s dream of opening a wine bar. After Sangeeta brought Rafael to Portland, that's when they decided they needed to see their dream turn into reality. They will be on Fore Street at the bottom of Munjoy Hill. They told Portland Old Port,

We just want to share our love for wine and culture. Because of our diverse backgrounds, we want wines from all over the world.

They won't just have the wines we all know from places like California and South Africa, but also India, Puerto Rico, and South America. And yes, if you are there with a wine lover, but you aren't - they will have local craft beers and cocktails behind the bar.

They are also working with some local businesses to offer some yummy treats like cheese and charcuterie boards made with selections from The Cheese Shop, empanadas from Empanada Club, Indian tapas from Hi Bombay, and desserts from Two Fat Cats. They start the design process later this month or early July and expect to open this fall.