DC's Best Kept Wine Secret Has Arrived
Washington · American · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Annabelle DC’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into Annabelle, clock the green skylight casting garden light over the room, and then the wine list lands in your hands — and suddenly the decor takes a back seat. This is a list that means business: 300-plus bottles anchored in France and California, with names that make serious wine drinkers sit up straight. It's the kind of program that tells you the owners actually care.
The French and California pillars here are genuinely impressive — we're talking Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, Château Margaux, and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti on the Burgundy and Bordeaux side, with Kistler, Aubert, Ridge Monte Bello, Opus One, and Sine Qua Non flying the California flag. That's not a list assembled by someone browsing a distributor catalog — that's a list built with conviction. The depth skews toward prestige, which means wallet-busting options are plentiful, but the breadth within those regions gives you real choices at multiple price points. If you have a weakness for premier cru whites or cult California Cabs, this list will test your self-control.
Twenty to thirty-five by-the-glass options is a serious pour program for Washington, D.C. — most restaurants in this city treat BTG as an afterthought. We don't have the full rotating list in front of us, but a program built around France and California with sommeliers on staff suggests the glass pours reflect the list's strengths rather than just clearing slow-moving inventory. Ask Cayla or Ben what's open — they'll steer you right.
Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello — $150
Monte Bello is one of California's benchmark Cabernet-dominant blends — it consistently trades at or above this range in the wild, and on a restaurant list anchored by four-figure trophy bottles, it's the move for serious drinkers who want the real California experience without the Opus One price tag.
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet
Most tables at Annabelle are going to gravitate toward the big reds or the obvious California names, but Leflaive's Puligny-Montrachet is one of the most quietly compelling white Burgundies in the game — precise, mineral, and built to age. In a room full of Opus One orders, this bottle is flying under the radar.
Opus One
Opus One is a legitimately great wine, but it's also the most recognized name on any prestige American list, which means restaurants know they can charge a premium on top of an already elevated retail price. You're paying for the label recognition as much as the wine. The Ridge Monte Bello is right there, costs less, and has more soul.
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay + Tagliatelle
Kistler's rich, textured Chardonnay has enough weight to stand up to a buttery, pasta-forward dish without drowning it — the wine's California fruit and oak integration complement rather than compete with the tagliatelle's richness. It's the kind of pairing that makes you slow down and pay attention.
The Bottom Line
Annabelle is one of the most serious wine programs in Washington, D.C., and the Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator isn't decorative — this list earns it. Send your wine-loving friends here, but warn them to set a budget before they open the list.
Washington · Washington · Seafood
Oceanaire is a safe, well-executed wine destination for California Chardonnay lovers who want reliable bottles with their seafood without too many surprises. Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence since 2017 is well-earned for what it is — just know this list was built for comfort, not adventure.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Georgetown · Washington · French
Lutèce is a strong place to explore French wine with a firm budget in mind. The posted list runs from a $64 Southern Rhône red to $600 Champagne, so tell Chris Ray what you want to spend and let that guide the conversation. Confirm prices and availability when you book or arrive.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Washington, DC · Washington · Steakhouse
STK DC is a vibe restaurant that treats wine as an accessory, not a feature. If you're here for the scene, the cocktails will serve you better than the list ever will.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Middle Eastern / North African
Maydan's wine list is one of the most geographically coherent and genuinely adventurous in Washington, DC — it matches the kitchen's ambition and then some. If you're willing to let go of the familiar, this is one of the best by-the-glass programs in the city for opening your eyes to what the wine world looks like beyond Europe.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Restaurant
Moon Rabbit's wine list is doing something rare: it's short enough to read in two minutes and interesting enough to talk about for twenty. If you care about well-chosen, adventurous bottles at prices that won't wreck your dinner bill, send your people here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Washington · Washington · Spanish
Xiquet is doing something genuinely rare in D.C. — a tightly edited, Spain-first wine program inside a room that actually earns it. Four sommeliers and a Wood Spectator Award of Excellence since 2023 confirm this isn't an accident; just know you're paying for the setting as much as the bottle.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Baltimore · American
Give the international and local sections a look before defaulting to Burgundy. Sula at $70 and Old Westminster at $90 offer different budget options. These are posted bottle prices, not guaranteed stock; confirm availability. This menu guide doesn't rate service or cellar conditions.
· Key West · American
Caroline's Café is not a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — the identical pricing across all five house labels makes that abundantly clear. If you're in Key West looking for something interesting in your glass, keep walking; if you just need a cold pour of Chardonnay with your lunch and aren't asking questions, $8 gets you there without drama.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kerns · Portland · American
Noble Rot is the rare restaurant wine program that would hold up as a standalone wine bar — deep list, sharp staff, fair prices, and a view that makes the whole experience feel earned. Send your friends here. Send yourself here.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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