Keller's casual side, wine list included
North Yountville · Yountville · American comfort food · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 29, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Ad Hoc’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into Ad Hoc expecting fried chicken and family-style comfort food — the wine list mostly confirms that vibe. It's Napa-forward, approachable, and curated just enough to feel intentional without requiring any homework. Thomas Keller's name is on the door, so the infrastructure is solid even if the list doesn't exactly swing for the fences.
The 100–200 bottle list leans hard into Napa Valley, which makes sense given the zip code, but it can feel like a greatest-hits compilation rather than a thoughtful exploration. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates, with supporting roles from Chardonnay, Syrah, cool-climate Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel rounding out the California story. The token French presence — a 2015 Domaine de Figueirasse Grenache Gris from Languedoc sitting around $40 — is the most interesting detour on the list and suggests someone in the building has at least one passport stamp worth respecting. The gaps are real though: if you're hoping for Italian, Spanish, or anything from the Southern Hemisphere, you'll be disappointed.
The glass program runs roughly 8–15 options and spans the price ladder from $15 to $35, which is a reasonable spread for the neighborhood. The Domaine Carneros Blanc de Noir anchors the entry point and earns its spot — it's a proper sparkling wine that works with the food. The Modicum Red Blend tops out the list at $35 a glass and is a polished Napa pour, though at that price you're already doing the math on a bottle.
Domaine Carneros Blanc de Noir NV — $15/glass
A genuine Carneros sparkling wine at $15 a glass is a fair pour in Yountville, where the altitude of expectations tends to inflate prices on everything. Retail sits around $32 a bottle, so you're paying a standard restaurant premium without getting gouged. It's the smartest first glass you can order here.
2015 Domaine de Figueirasse Grenache Gris, Languedoc
Nobody flies to Napa Valley for a French Languedoc Grenache Gris, which is exactly why you should order it. At roughly $40 a bottle, it's the most interesting and affordable wine on the list — and a genuine outlier in a sea of Napa Cab. It rewards the curious and gives the table something to actually talk about.
Modicum Red Blend (Napa Valley)
At $35 a glass, you're paying close to $140 bottle-equivalent pricing for a wine you can find at retail for around $60. It's not a bad wine, but the value math doesn't hold up. If you want Modicum, track down the bottle list and do the comparison — or just move on.
Domaine Carneros Blanc de Noir NV + Fried Chicken
Bubbles and fried chicken is one of the most reliable combinations in the known universe, and Carneros Blanc de Noir has just enough red fruit weight and acidity to cut through the crust without disappearing next to the salt. It's the move, and it feels right at Ad Hoc specifically.
The Bottom Line
Ad Hoc is a great place to eat and a totally fine place to drink wine — just don't come expecting the list to match the kitchen's ambition. Stick to the Domaine Carneros by the glass, track down that Languedoc bottle, and let the fried chicken do the heavy lifting.
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Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Goose & Gander is playing a different game than most Napa gastropubs — the Paul Hobbs curatorial thread pulls the list into genuinely unexpected territory, from Armenian Areni to Galician Godello, without abandoning the California core that belongs here. If you're in Yountville and want a wine list that gives you something to talk about, this is the move.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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The Kitchen at Priest Ranch is a one-winery show, and that's exactly the point. If you want to spend an evening exploring what a single Napa estate produces across whites, rosé, Zinfandel, Merlot, and multiple Cabernet expressions — including older large-format bottles — this is a genuinely interesting way to do it. Just don't come expecting breadth or outside discovery. Send a friend here if they love Priest Ranch or want to.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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Kenzo Napa is a singular experience for a singular guest — someone who wants to go deep on one Napa estate alongside a Japanese tasting menu and isn't bothered by a complete lack of outside options. If you're hoping to explore, compare, or find a surprise bottle from somewhere else in the wine world, look elsewhere. This list knows exactly what it is, and it's not trying to be anything more.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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