Wilmington

Bardea Steak is a legitimate wine destination for Delaware, even if the pricing leans toward the steep side and the staff isn't quite sommelier-level. If you're eating a serious steak in Wilmington and want a serious wine list to match, this is your spot.

Bardea is doing something genuinely rare in a mid-size Mid-Atlantic city: building a serious Italian wine program that rewards both the curious newcomer and the Barolo nerd at the same table. If you're anywhere near Wilmington, this list alone is worth making a reservation.

True Blue is a reliable wine stop for Cab-and-steak devotees, not a destination for adventurous drinkers. Show up on Thursday, order Jordan with a ribeye, and you'll have a genuinely great night — just don't expect the list to surprise you.

Jerry's is a genuinely good neighborhood restaurant that happens to take wine seriously enough to matter — just not seriously enough to get adventurous with it. Send a friend here for a solid dinner with a dependable California pour, not a list they'll talk about later.

Caprice Bistro is the kind of wine list that never embarrasses you and never thrills you — it's a reliable partner for a French dinner in downtown Wilmington, priced a touch high but with enough quality pours by the glass to make a night of it. Send a friend here if they want France without a flight.

Rum Cow isn't a wine destination and it knows it — but the markup is mostly honest and the list covers the bases without embarrassing itself. Come for the cocktails, stay for a decent glass if that's what the table needs.

Brasserie du Soleil is a reliable French wine list in a town where the competition isn't exactly fierce — the Old World depth is real, but watch your step on mid-tier markups that can quietly sting. Send a friend here for the Steak au poivre and a Rhône red; just steer them away from the by-the-glass traps.

Steam isn't going to be anyone's wine destination, but the markups are shockingly fair for a hotel restaurant and the sparkling rosé alone is worth the stop. If you're in downtown Wilmington and want a decent glass without getting fleeced, this does the job.

The Fortunate Glass is punching well above its coastal-Carolina weight class — a deep, producer-driven list that earns its Wine Spectator hardware without apology. Markups run steep, but if you navigate carefully, there's a genuinely rewarding wine experience waiting on South Front Street.