A bourbon temple with a wine list that quietly holds its own
Roswell · Atlanta · New American / Gastropub · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed February 22, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walk into 1920 Tavern expecting a speakeasy cocktail bar with Pappy Van Winkle dreams and you are not wrong — 39 bourbons and a Smoked Old Fashioned with rosemary lead the charge. But scan past the bourbon wall and you will find a wine list that is more thoughtful than it has any right to be. Interesting Reds and Interesting Whites categories signal a buyer with curiosity, and the inclusion of South African Pinotage is the tell — the Aronowitz family brought their heritage from Cape Town to Canton Street.
The wine list is organized by varietal with enough breadth to cover a globally influenced menu. Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir anchor the reds with multiple tiers running from $42 to $125 a bottle. The Interesting Reds section is where the personality lives — this is the buyer stepping outside the safe zone. Whites follow the same pattern with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc as the anchors and an Interesting Whites category for the adventurous. The Pinotage is the headline — South Africa's signature grape rarely appears on Atlanta-area wine lists and its presence here is a direct nod to the owners' roots.
By-the-glass pours run from $12 to $18 with solid varietal coverage across reds and whites. Nothing flashy, but the range means you can match wine to a menu that swings from Peri Peri Chicken to Lobster Spaghetti to Fried Green Tomatoes without feeling boxed in. The sweet spot is the $14 to $16 range where most of the interesting pours live.
Any $12 glass from the core lineup — $12/glass
At twelve dollars a glass in a restaurant that positions itself as fine dining, you are getting a fair deal. The entry-level Malbec and Sauvignon Blanc both overdeliver at this price point.
Pinotage
South Africa's signature grape on a Roswell wine list is the kind of detail that makes you look twice. The Aronowitz family is from Cape Town and this is their heritage in a glass — bold, earthy, and unlike anything else you will find on Canton Street.
The default Cabernet if you are not looking at the Interesting Reds
The standard varietal lineup is solid but forgettable. The whole reason to drink wine at 1920 Tavern is the stuff in the Interesting Reds and Interesting Whites sections — that is where the buyer's personality comes through.
Pinotage + Peri Peri Chicken
South African wine meets South African-inspired chicken. The Pinotage has enough rusticity and dark fruit to handle the peri peri heat while the earthy undertones echo the roasted corn and red bean pilaf. This is a pairing the kitchen was born to serve.
Monday — Wine Night — weekly wine specials and featured pours
🎲 The Bottom Line
1920 Tavern is a bourbon bar that happens to have a wine list worth exploring. Monday Wine Nights, a globally influenced menu that creates real pairing opportunities, and a South African Pinotage hiding on a Canton Street wine list make this a wildcard worth playing. Come for the Smoked Old Fashioned, stay because the wine surprised you.
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One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.