World-Class Cellar at the Edge of Maine
Deer Isle · Portland · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Aragosta at Goose Cove’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Eight hundred and twenty selections sitting inside a converted retreat on Deer Isle — we had to double-check the address. This is not the wine list you expect to find an hour past the last traffic light in Maine, and that surprise alone earns Aragosta serious respect before you've pulled the cork on anything.
The list leans hard into France — Burgundy, Loire, and Champagne form the backbone — with a strong Italian wing anchored by Piedmont. Headliners like Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Opus One signal that the cellar is playing a different game than most coastal New England restaurants, while Kistler and Caymus Special Selection cater to the Napa crowd without letting California dominate. With 3,475 bottles in inventory, there's genuine depth here, not just a long list padded with filler — though at $$$$, you'll be paying for the privilege of accessing it.
Twelve to twenty pours by the glass is a solid range for a destination property of this size, and a sommelier on staff means the selection should rotate with intention rather than inertia. We'd expect the by-the-glass program to punch above its weight — that said, given the overall pricing tier, even the glass pours will require a committed budget.
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay — null
In a cellar full of four-figure trophies, Kistler represents one of California's most serious Chardonnay producers at a price point that still feels grounded. If it's on the list, it's the move for anyone who wants world-class white without crossing into DRC territory.
Loire Valley selections
With France forming the backbone of this list, the Loire offerings are easy to overlook when Burgundy and Champagne are screaming for attention — but Loire whites alongside Maine lobster is one of the great unsung combinations in American fine dining. Don't sleep on it.
Caymus Vineyards Special Selection
Caymus Special Selection is a fine wine, but it's also one of the most aggressively marked-up bottles in American restaurants. At a $$$$-tier destination property, you're almost certainly paying a premium on top of an already inflated retail price. With 820 other options on this list, there are better ways to spend that money.
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay + Maine lobster
Rich, textured California Chardonnay with enough acidity to cut through butter and enough body to stand up to lobster's sweetness — it's a classic combination that Aragosta's setting practically demands you order.
The Bottom Line
Aragosta is a genuine destination for wine — a world-class cellar dropped into the Maine coast that rewards the drive with serious selections and a sommelier who knows how to use them. Bring a group, spring for a bottle of Burgundy, and let the lobster handle the rest.
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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A fast-casual raw bar with a wine list that punches well above its category — the French-only focus is a feature, not a limitation. If you're eating oysters in Portland, this is where you want to be drinking.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Deer Isle · Portland · Seafood Fine Dining
Aragosta is the rare case where the wine program matches the remoteness of the drive — you come all the way out here and find a 3,475-bottle cellar waiting for you. Yes, send your friends. Send everyone.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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Scales is playing a different game than the tourist-trap seafood spots on either side of it — the wine list is genuinely Old World-focused and well-matched to the food, which is rare and worth noting. If you're eating clams and mussels on the Portland waterfront, this is where you want to be doing it with a glass in hand.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Chaval is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood brasserie in Portland — the list is small but curated by someone who actually cares, with pricing that doesn't punish curiosity. If you're open to going off the beaten path (xarel-lo, South African grenache blanc), this is a genuinely rewarding room to drink in.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Seventh & Dolores isn't a destination wine list, but it's a respectable one that at least knows where it is geographically. Come for the steak, order the Wrath, and don't expect to go down any rabbit holes.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail · Vail · New American
Vin48 is a genuinely surprising wine program hiding inside a Colorado ski resort, and if you're a wine-first diner passing through Vail, it absolutely warrants a stop. The markups reflect the zip code more than we'd like, but the depth and curation of the list are the real deal.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Solvang · Solvang · New American
Root 246 is the rare hotel restaurant that actually earns your wine attention — a focused Santa Barbara County list with real producers, a sommelier who knows the material, and pricing that doesn't punish you for being curious. If you're passing through Solvang wine country, this is where you eat.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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