Order the Margarita, Skip the Wine List
US-31 South / East Side · Traverse City · Mexican · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 25, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Agave Mexican Grill & Cantina’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open the menu, scan for wine, and find three options — all from the same label. That's not a wine list, that's a backup plan for the table that forgot to order margaritas. Agave is a cantina at heart, and the wine program makes no effort to pretend otherwise.
Three Silver Gate wines — a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Pinot Grigio, and a Sauvignon Blanc — make up the entire program. Silver Gate is a value-tier California brand you'd find stacked on a grocery store end-cap, which tells you everything about the intentionality here. There's no regional variety, no nod to Mexico's growing wine culture, and zero local Michigan producer representation, which is a miss in a city surrounded by wineries. The list isn't curated — it's just there.
All three bottles are available by the glass, which technically means a 100% by-the-glass program — though that's less impressive when the total selection is three wines. There's no rotation, no seasonal swap, and no indication that anyone is thinking about updating this anytime soon.
Silver Gate Sauvignon Blanc — null
If you're drinking wine here, the Sauvignon Blanc is your least risky move — it's crisp enough to cut through the salt and lime notes already floating around the table, and Sauv Blanc is harder to ruin than a Cab in a warm restaurant. Pricing unknown, but expectations should be low either way.
Silver Gate Pinot Grigio
It's not a hidden gem by any stretch, but a cold Pinot Grigio alongside chips and salsa is at least a coherent choice. Most people won't reach for it in a cantina setting — which means you might actually get what you want out of it: something cold, neutral, and inoffensive.
Silver Gate Cabernet Sauvignon
A Cabernet Sauvignon in a loud, warm Mexican cantina is a tough sell under any circumstances. At a grocery-tier price point poured by staff with no particular wine focus, this is the choice most likely to disappoint. Stick to the margaritas.
Silver Gate Sauvignon Blanc + Fajitas
The bright acidity in the Sauvignon Blanc does at least hold up to the char and spice of sizzling fajitas better than the Cab would. It won't be a revelation, but it's the most sensible match on a very short list.
The Bottom Line
Agave is a solid casual cantina — the margaritas are the move and everyone at the table knows it. The wine list is an afterthought, and there's no shame in treating it like one.
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Grocery Store
Fair
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One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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