Enso Winery

When a term like urban winery gets dropped, my first though is always of some ultra-hip, too-cool-for-you wine bar with a couple barrels in the back. My second thought is of a marketing director attempting political correctness when confronted by a winery run by a rap crew.

Despite how obviously cool the latter would be, Enso Winery on SE Stark falls into the category of the former. The winery and tasting room offers up a selection of different wines, most of which are made with a variety of Washington and Oregon grapes. For the most part, the wine is solid, if not exquisite, and is divided into two labels. The Resonate label is covers the lower end, but perfectly acceptable table wines, and the Enso Label is reserved for the classy shit.

It doesn't get classier than an on-site barrel room.

The Resonate Red would make an excellent table wine upgrade for those of you currently serving your guests Two Buck Chuck, and is reasonably priced at $18/bottle. The Resonate White is a pleasant surprise, and is quite crisp and dry for a blend that is 94% Riesling. At $14/bottle, it would make a nice compliment to the red.

The Enso Malbec is the star of the Enso label, outshining both the Zinfandel and the Mourvèdre, and is worth it if you've got a lady (or a fella!) to impress and you're looking for some of the aforementioned classy shit.

Just look at all that repurposed original lumber!

I use the word "aforementioned" a lot. Forgive me.

But speaking of impressing the opposite sex, that is really what Enso is about. From the stylish label design to the retrofitted storage depot space, Enso screams Date Spot. With capital letters.

[Enso's Site]