Four Wines, Zero Apologies, All Attitude
· Irving · New American / Wine Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bacchus Kitchen + Bar’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Four bottles. That's the list. Before you close the tab and order a cocktail, hear us out — because these four are not what you expect from a cozy Grapevine brunch spot. Whoever curated this tiny card has a point of view, and that point of view is weird in the best possible way.
Bacchus isn't trying to cover the globe — they've picked a lane and committed hard. You've got a sparkling Glera-Pinot Nero blend, a rosé built from obscure Portuguese grapes (Vinhão, Borraçal, Espadeiro), an orange wine made from Sicilian Inzolia and Zibibbo, and a chilled red that layers Syrah, Merlot, Cab, Tintilla de Rota, and Petit Verdot into something that sounds like a dissertation but probably drinks easy. There are zero concessions to the Chardonnay crowd, which is either brave or reckless depending on your Sunday mood. Tintilla de Rota alone — a nearly extinct Spanish grape — showing up on a list in Irving, Texas is genuinely shocking. The gaps are obvious: no white Burgundy, no Champagne, no Nebbiolo, no anything for someone who just wants a Cab they recognize. But that's not the game here.
One glass option is listed at $17, which we assume is the Glera-Pinot Nero sparkling — the most approachable entry point on the card. It's thin coverage for a place that calls itself a wine bar, and if the other three bottles aren't available by the glass, that's a real miss. A rotating by-the-glass program would do wonders for a list this adventurous.
The Bottom Line
Bacchus has no business being this interesting with only four bottles on the list, but here we are. If you're open to drinking outside your comfort zone over brunch in suburban Texas, this tiny, weird card is worth the trip.
Deep Ellum · Irving · Bar / Entertainment
Electric Shuffle is genuinely a fun night out — just don't make wine the reason you go. Grab a cocktail, dominate at shuffleboard, and save the bottle hunt for somewhere that actually wants to be in that conversation.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irving · Wine Bar
Mercy is punching way above its weight for Irving, Texas — a 14-bottle list that somehow covers natural wine, skin contact, sparkling, and old-world obscurities without a single safe-harbor Cab in sight. If you're anywhere near this zip code and you're tired of the same old list, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irving · Spanish / Wine Bar
Barcelona Wine Bar in Irving shouldn't be this good, and yet here we are — a 48-bottle all-by-the-glass list with real depth, fair prices, and a genuine point of view. If you're anywhere near this part of Dallas, it's worth a detour just for the wine.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Galleria · Irving · Italian
North Italia isn't a destination wine list, but it's a genuinely respectable one — fair prices, regional Italian whites worth ordering, and enough variety to reward curious drinkers. Send your friends here knowing they won't be stuck choosing between Pinot Grigio and nothing.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Oak Lawn · Irving · Italian / Enoteca
Enoteca Italia is doing something genuinely different on the Dallas Italian scene — a focused, boots-on-the-ground Italian list in a room that feels like a special occasion. Markup concerns aside, if you want to drink Italian and have someone who actually knows what they're pouring, this is your spot.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
DFW International Airport, Terminal A · Irving · Wine Bar / Small Plates
In the brutal landscape of airport dining, Vino Volo is a genuine bright spot — not because it competes with a real wine bar, but because it actually tries. If you've got a layover and a functioning palate, you could do a whole lot worse.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Scranton · New American / Wine Bar
Warney is doing something legitimately weird and committed for a mid-sized Pennsylvania city — an aperitif-forward, cocktail-wine hybrid program that rewards curiosity and doesn't punish your wallet for it. Send your most adventurous friend here and tell them to skip the Sauvignon Blanc.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ann Arbor · New American / Wine Bar
Spencer is a reliable wine bar doing exactly what it sets out to do — give Ann Arbor diners a comfortable, recognizable list with enough options to make everyone at the table happy. Just watch the by-the-glass pricing on the upper end, and let the Idlewild be your little secret.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Santa Ana · New American / Wine Bar
Darkroom is punching well above its weight class for a 14-bottle program — the selection is sharp, the pricing is honest, and the list has a clear point of view. Send a wine-curious friend here and tell them to ask for the Riesling.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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