Keller's casual side, wine list included
North Yountville · Yountville · American comfort food · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 29, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ad Hoc’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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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.
Southern Yountville / Washington Street corridor · Yountville · Lounge / Bar
Hotel Yountville's lobby lounge is a perfectly fine place to decompress with a glass of something Napa-famous after a day on Washington Street, but we wouldn't make a special trip for the wine list. Send your friends here for the vibe; tell them to know their order before they sit down.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Yountville · Yountville · Wine tasting with artisanal cheese pairings
Jessup Cellars is a genuinely good time if you go in knowing what it is: a focused, house-wine tasting experience in one of the most expensive zip codes in American wine country. It's not a deep list, it's not a bargain, but it's warm, well-executed, and a smarter afternoon than most of what's on Highway 29.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
South Yountville · Yountville · Bar / Small Plates
R+D's bar list isn't trying to be a destination wine program and it doesn't pretend to be — it's a well-executed, fairly priced casual list that punches above its weight for a Hillstone concept sitting in the heart of wine country. Send a friend here if they want good wine without homework.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Yountville · Yountville · Wine Tasting Salon
The JCB Tasting Salon is a one-house show — and if you're good with that, it's a well-run, beautifully staged one. The steep pricing and narrow scope keep it from Rager territory, but the cross-continental angle and proper sommelier guidance make it a legitimate Wild Card worth booking once.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Central Yountville · Yountville · Dive bar / neighborhood bar
Pancha's isn't a wine destination, it's a Napa Valley institution that happens to stock Krug — and that alone makes it worth a stop. Send your friends here when they need to remember that wine is supposed to be fun, not performative.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Yountville · Yountville · Wine bar / tasting room
The Yount Room is what Yountville wine culture should be more of — unpretentious, walkable, and genuinely interesting without requiring a second mortgage. If you're in town and want a bottle that isn't just a brand name in a fancy room, this is where to land.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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