Georgetown's French Bistro That Earns the Hype
Georgetown · Washington · Farm to Table, French · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed April 7, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Apéro’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Apéro lands with the quiet confidence of a place that actually knows what it's doing — no gimmicks, no filler. Walking into this Georgetown row house bistro, the list feels curated rather than assembled, with France and Italy doing the heavy lifting in all the right ways. It's the kind of list that makes you want to linger over it with a glass of something already in hand.
At 250–350 bottles, this is a serious list by any standard — and it earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence with names like Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, Giacomo Conterno Barolo, and Domaine Dujac Morey-St-Denis anchoring the cellar. Burgundy and Piedmont are clearly the passion projects here, with producers that would make a collector lean forward. Bordeaux gets its due respect too — Château Lynch-Bages showing up confirms the kitchen isn't the only thing thinking in terms of terroir. If there's a gap, it's likely in the New World, but that feels more like a deliberate editorial choice than an oversight.
Twenty to thirty options by the glass is genuinely impressive and not just in quantity — Pol Roger Brut Réserve appearing as a pourable option signals that someone on staff actually respects the format. The $12–$25 glass range covers a lot of ground, and with four named sommeliers on staff, you can trust that what's in the pour has been thought about. Rotation appears seasonal, which keeps the program alive rather than stale.
Pol Roger Brut Réserve — $25
Pol Roger by the glass at a Georgetown bistro is a quiet gift — this is Churchill's Champagne of choice, and drinking it without committing to a full bottle is exactly the kind of move Apéro makes easy.
Domaine Dujac Morey-St-Denis
Most tables here are reaching for the Gevrey or eyeing the Lynch-Bages, which means the Dujac Morey-St-Denis gets overlooked. That's a mistake — Dujac's Morey bottlings offer some of the most expressive, silky Pinot in the Côte de Nuits without the sticker shock of their Premier Cru neighbors.
Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin
Jadot is reliable, but at the bottle prices this list commands, you're paying for a label that any wine shop carries. With Dujac and Conterno on the same list, letting Jadot take your budget feels like settling.
Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco + Duck confit
Giacosa's Barbaresco has the structure and dried cherry depth to stand up to the richness of duck confit without overwhelming it — the wine's natural acidity cuts through the fat while the tannins play off the crispy skin. It's a textbook match that doesn't need to announce itself.
The Bottom Line
Apéro is the rare Georgetown spot where the wine list actually justifies the zip code — four sommeliers, a Burgundy-forward cellar, and Champagne by the glass make this a legitimate destination, not just a neighborhood convenience. Send your friends here, but tell them to budget accordingly.
· Washington · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is one of the more focused and honest Greek programs you'll find at a mid-to-high scale restaurant in D.C. The by-the-glass selection is wide, the pricing doesn't insult you, and the Greek variety depth is genuinely impressive. If you've been waiting for a reason to finally figure out what Xinomavro tastes like, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão's wine list is exactly what a national Brazilian steakhouse chain's wine list looks like: functional, familiar, and priced for margin rather than your benefit. The by-the-glass count is impressive on paper, but most of the options are labels you've seen at your grocery store for a fraction of what they're charging here. If you're coming for the meat — and you should be — stick to the Catena Malbec and enjoy the show.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Washington · Washington · Steak House
A 20-wine by-the-glass list with every pour between $14 and $30, split across four sparkling, six white, two rosé and eight red. With a steak, start with the $26 Clos Duval Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or the $22 Monte Antico Supremus; for the cheapest glass, take the $14 Dr. Loosen Riesling. Pour sizes aren't posted and the page is undated, so confirm today's wines. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown DC · Washington · Steakhouse
A steakhouse beverage menu with 30 wines by the glass and a bottle list that is mostly California, with some France, Italy and Portugal. Start with the $9/glass happy hour Bonanza Cabernet if you arrive in the window, or the Eroica Riesling, the only Riesling on the glass list, and ask for prices because regular wine prices aren't posted. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Georgetown · Washington · Seafood, Steakhouse
An unpriced list that is easier to read for what it offers than for what it costs. If you want Bordeaux, ask for the 2020 Margaux de Brane Cantenac, or look at the Brunello di Montalcino in Sommelier's Selections, and get the price before you commit. This unrated guide covers the posted Beverage Menu, not service, storage or markups.
Washington · Washington · Latin, Vegetarian
A wide-ranging list with 14 wines by the glass from $17 to $95 and a bottle book that runs from $60 to $1,275. Start with the $17 Eichinger Grüner Veltliner or the $20 Pêcheur Trousseau, and ask for the Natural Wines section if you want something low-intervention. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Nantucket · Nantucket · Farm to Table, French
The Company of the Cauldron earns its Wine Spectator nod — this is a focused, fairly priced list that understands its audience and the food it's serving. Not the most adventurous wine program on the island, but on a candlelit night in Nantucket with lobster in front of you, it more than does the job.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Steamboat Springs · Steamboat Springs · Farm to Table, French
Harwigs is the kind of place that rewards guests who actually look at the wine list — a Burgundy-forward, thoughtfully curated program that has no business being this good in a ski town, and we mean that as a genuine compliment. If you're passing through Steamboat and care about what's in your glass, make the reservation.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Stowe · Stowe · Farm to Table, French
Alpine Hall earns its Wine Spectator hardware — the list is solid, the storage is right, and there are genuinely good bottles in here if you know where to look. It's not a destination wine experience, but for a ski lodge in Stowe, it's doing the work where it counts.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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