Openings, closings and dishy gossip

[February 13th, 2008] »Amalia Roberts, the former owner of Southeast Division Street’s Victory wine bar , has bought the just-off-East Burnside space last held by L’Astra , and intends to make it into her newest wine-centric venture. She’s not exactly sure when it’ll open, though, because she’s going to take her time. “Last time I [opened a bar], I was in a big hurry and I made a lot of mistakes,” Roberts says. Currently the wine director at Clyde Common , Roberts is jetting off to do a bit of re-con this week. She’s planning a five-day visit to some old New York haunts (she went to wine school there at London-based Wine and Spirits Education Trust). A taster? She’s visiting August, Prune, The Little Owl, The Spotted Pig and Ino Cafe and Wine Bar, for inspiration.

»Oregon wine country is about to get a little more “hip,” thanks to Portland-based winery Hip Chicks Do Wine . The outfit’s second location, on 1st Street in Newberg, should open around April 1, confirms Laurie Lewis, self-professed “wine goddess” and Hip Chicks co-owner. “A lot of customers are driving out there to wine country, and Hip Chicks needs a piece of that action ,” Lewis says. Production at the Southeast Portland industrial location has boomed from 500 cases in 1999 to 5,300 cases this year, with many varieties selling out within a year.