Old Town charm, dependable pours, zero surprises
Old Town · Albuquerque · American, Seafood, International · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 4, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Antiquity Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
Antiquity feels like a restaurant that treats wine as a supporting actor — necessary, respectable, but never the headline. The list reads like a greatest-hits compilation of recognizable names that won't scare anyone off, which is exactly the point in a cozy Old Town fine dining room where the 16 oz. beef tenderloin is clearly running the show. It's comfortable, familiar, and doesn't push you anywhere you didn't already want to go.
The list leans hard on California standards — Sonoma Cutrer, Duckhorn, Ramey — with a few French ringers like Pascal Jolivet thrown in to signal that someone cares at least a little. There's a local nod with Gruet, which is the right call for New Mexico and one of the few genuinely interesting choices on the menu. La Terre and Beringer anchor the approachable end, and Zonin handles the Italian slot without much ambition. Gaps are real: no Pinot Noir depth, no old-world reds worth getting excited about, and no sense that the list evolves much season to season.
By-the-glass specifics aren't published, so we can't tell you exactly what's pouring on any given night — a frustrating blind spot for a restaurant at this price point. Based on what's on the bottle list, expect the usual suspects: something from Sonoma Cutrer by the glass, possibly a Gruet pour for bubbles. Rotate your expectations accordingly; this isn't a by-the-glass destination.
Gruet Blanc de Noir NV — $48
Yes, the markup is real — retail is around $20 — but Gruet is genuinely good New Mexico sparkling wine, and ordering it here feels right. It's local, it's festive, and it holds up against the rich menu better than you'd expect from a $20 bottle. If you're going to overpay for something, make it interesting.
Pascal Jolivet Sancerre
In a list full of California comfort picks, Pascal Jolivet is a quiet outlier worth grabbing. It's a serious Loire producer making crisp, mineral-driven Sauvignon Blanc that has actual personality — something the Duckhorn SB next to it can't quite claim.
Veuve Clicquot Brut NV
At $95 on a bottle you can grab at any Total Wine for $50, this is a 90% markup on a wine that's already trading on name recognition more than quality. There's no reason to pay restaurant premium for Veuve when Gruet is sitting right there and actually tells a local story.
Sonoma Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay + Jumbo cold water lobster tail
Sonoma Cutrer is built for exactly this moment — rich, lightly oaked, with enough acidity to cut through butter and complement sweet lobster without steamrolling it. It's not a surprising pairing, but it works, and sometimes that's exactly what you want.
The Bottom Line
Antiquity is a reliable date-night destination where the wine list does its job without embarrassing anyone — but the steep markups and safe selections mean you're here for the filet, not the bottle. Go in with low wine expectations, pick the Gruet or the Jolivet, and let the food do the heavy lifting.
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