Hotel Bar Done With Actual Effort
Penn State University Park campus · State College · Lounge · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed 1855 Lounge at The Nittany Lion Inn’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walking into the 1855 Lounge, you get the sense that someone cared — the renovated Nittany Lion Inn is handsome, the lounge feels grown-up for a college town, and the wine list arrives looking intentional. Then you actually read it and realize it's a tightly curated greatest-hits of recognizable brand names, which is exactly what a hotel lounge in Happy Valley is going to give you.
Sixteen-ish options, almost entirely by-the-glass or 187ml splits, spanning California, Italy, New Zealand, Argentina, and a nod to France via Moët. The producers — J. Lohr, Francis Ford Coppola, Franciscan, Gabbiano — are supermarket stalwarts that will never offend and never surprise. There's a decent geographic spread on paper, but don't confuse coverage for depth: this is a list built for guests who want something familiar after a long drive to see a Penn State game, not for anyone hunting a producer they haven't heard of. The one mild curveball is the Riporta Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, which at least gestures toward something with a bit more personality than the California cab parade.
Fourteen pours is a genuinely strong BTG count for a hotel lounge, and the 187ml split format is a smart move — let people try the Chandon Brut Rosé without committing to a full bottle mid-afternoon. Prices run $9 at the low end up to $24 for the Moët Impérial split, which is where the steep markup really starts to sting. There's no visible rotation or seasonal swap-out here — what you see is what you get, month after month.
J. Lohr White Bay Riesling, Monterey — $9
At the floor of the price range, this off-dry Monterey Riesling punches above its station in a lounge context. It's food-friendly, refreshing, and honestly the most interesting white on the list at the lowest possible entry point.
Riporta Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Everybody at this lounge is ordering the Franciscan Cab or the Malbec. The Montepulciano is the only wine on this list that doesn't feel like it was chosen by a committee — earthy, a little rustic, and a genuine change of pace from the California-centric red wall.
Moët & Chandon Impérial (187ml)
At $24 for a 187ml split — that's roughly a third of a standard bottle — you're paying a serious premium for the Moët name in a hotel lounge setting. The Chandon Brut Rosé split gets you three-quarters of the experience for less money. Save the Moët budget for an actual Champagne bar.
Daou Sauvignon Blanc, Paso Robles + Charcuterie Board
The Daou Sauvignon Blanc has enough citrus edge and structure to cut through cured meats and hard cheeses without getting lost — and at happy hour, when the charcuterie is half-price, this is the most sensible glass on the menu.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The 1855 Lounge is a reliable hotel wine stop that does the basics right — wide BTG selection, decent variety for a 16-SKU list, approachable in a way that fits the campus-adjacent crowd. Just don't come expecting discovery; come expecting a competent glass of something familiar in a genuinely nice room.
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Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Atherton · State College · Italian Chain
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Boalsburg · State College · American
The Butter Churn is doing something genuinely surprising for central Pennsylvania — a thoughtful, well-sourced wine list that goes beyond the expected and rewards the curious drinker. If you're anywhere near State College and care about what's in your glass, this deserves a visit.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · State College · Brewpub / American Comfort Food
Happy Valley Brewing Company is a beer destination with a wine list that exists out of obligation, not passion. If your table skips the beer, order the Whitehaven and move on — don't go chasing depth that isn't here.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · State College · American
The Field is a tap bar first, wine program distant second — and that's fine, as long as you know what you're walking into. Order the Malbec, enjoy your burger, and save the serious wine drinking for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · State College · American, burgers and bar food
The Field's wine list is functional at best and forgettable at worst — it exists to serve people who want something other than a beer, not to make anyone excited about what's in their glass. Order the Hawstone Hollow out of regional solidarity, grab the Tilia Malbec with your burger, and let the cocktail menu do the heavy lifting the rest of the night.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lake Coeur d'Alene · Coeur d'Alene · Lounge
Cedar's earns its Wild Card badge not because the list is revolutionary, but because a 120-label program with local Idaho pours and a sommelier on staff is the last thing you expect from a tourist-magnet floating lounge. Send your friends here, point them toward the Coeur d'Alene Cellars glass pours, and let the lake do the rest of the work.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
City Point / Waterfront · New Haven · Lounge
Shell & Bones is a reliable wine stop for a waterfront dinner — wide selection, solid glass pour count, and a Wine Spectator nod that isn't undeserved. Markups are on the steeper side, so stick to the happy hour window and let the raw bar do the heavy lifting.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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