801 Fish
Serious Seafood, Serious Wine, Serious Prices
Clayton · St. Louis · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 29, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The list at 801 Fish lands exactly where you'd expect from a polished Clayton seafood spot — heavy on California whites, with enough French depth to keep things interesting. It's curated for the expense-account crowd, and the pricing reflects that. Still, there's real thought here, not just a lazy pile of safe names.
Selection Deep Dive
The list runs 150-plus bottles with a clear lean toward Burgundy, Napa, Sonoma, and Alsace — all natural fits for a seafood-forward menu. You'll find the expected California heavyweights like Cakebread and Rombauer, but the inclusion of Domaine Weinbach Riesling from Alsace and Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc from Russian River Valley shows someone actually thought about what works with fish. Loire Valley gets a nod, which is a quiet win in St. Louis. The gaps show up in the Southern Hemisphere and anything remotely adventurous — this list is built to reassure, not to surprise.
By the Glass
The by-the-glass program runs 15-20 options, which is a solid count for a restaurant at this price point. Expect the pours to skew white and California-dominant, which honestly makes sense given what's on the plate. Rotation appears limited — this reads more like a set list than an evolving program.
Domaine Weinbach Riesling Alsace — null
Weinbach is a legendary Alsatian producer making some of the most food-friendly white wine on the planet. At a seafood restaurant with dishes like miso-glazed sea bass, this is the smartest pour on the list — and it's almost certainly priced below the Napa Chardonnays that will drink half as well with fish.
Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley
Everyone goes straight for the Chardonnay here, but Merry Edwards makes a Sauvignon Blanc that punches far above what most people expect from California — textured, precise, and genuinely interesting. It gets overlooked because Sauvignon Blanc doesn't have the prestige rep in these rooms. Their loss.
Rombauer Chardonnay Carneros
Rombauer is fine. It's also everywhere, retail-priced around $30-35, and will be marked up to the point where you're paying a significant premium for a wine you could grab at any grocery store in Missouri. Nothing wrong with it — it's just not why you come to a list like this.
Domaine Weinbach Riesling Alsace + Miso-glazed Chilean Sea Bass
Riesling and miso were basically made for each other — the slight residual sweetness in the wine meets the umami-rich glaze, the acidity cuts through the sea bass's natural butteriness, and nothing gets overwhelmed. Cakebread Chardonnay would flatten this dish. Weinbach makes it sing.
✔️ The Bottom Line
801 Fish is a reliable, well-run wine program that plays to its audience — upscale Clayton diners who want familiarity with a few thoughtful detours. If you stick to the French whites and ignore the celebrity California Chardonnays, you'll eat and drink very well here.
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