Brentwood's Big Game List, No Apologies
Brentwood · Los Angeles · American · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Baltaire’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Baltaire lands with the same confidence as the room itself — dim, plush, and clearly not worried about your budget. At 400-600 bottles deep with a Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator since 2022, this is a list that means business. You're in Brentwood, and Baltaire wants you to know it.
France is the backbone here, with serious Burgundy representation including Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin and Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, plus first-growth Bordeaux like Château Margaux and Château Pétrus that would make any collector nod approvingly. California holds its own with cult heavyweights — Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, Opus One, and Kistler — sitting alongside Italian stalwarts like Sassicaia, Tignanello, and Gaja Barbaresco Sori Tildin. The list skews heavily toward trophy bottles, and if you're looking for under-the-radar producers or natural wine exploration, you'll mostly be disappointed. But if you came here to drink well and flex a little, the depth is genuinely there.
Twenty to thirty pours by the glass is a strong showing for a steakhouse format, and the range stretches from $15 accessible options up through more serious picks that reward the adventurous. We'd love to see more rotation and a clearer narrative around the glass program, but the sheer volume of options means you're unlikely to feel stuck. Monday's half-price wine night makes the by-the-glass program significantly more interesting — that's when to experiment.
Kistler Vine Hill Chardonnay 2021 — $185
In a list dominated by four-figure bottles, $185 for Kistler Vine Hill is one of the few moments where you feel like the house isn't completely running up the score. It's a benchmark Sonoma Coast Chardonnay that holds its own against the Burgundy heavyweights sitting nearby on the list — and it's actually approachable enough to order without second-guessing yourself.
Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin
Everyone at the table is eyeing the DRC and the Screaming Eagle, but the Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin is the move for anyone who actually wants to drink great Burgundy without the full spectacle. It's one of the most respected names in all of Pinot Noir, and in a room full of headline-grabbing bottles, it tends to get overlooked.
Opus One 2020
At $525 a bottle, Opus One is doing what Opus One always does at restaurants — trading on name recognition at a markup that doesn't reflect how widely available it actually is. It's a good wine, but it's not a great value, and in a list with this much depth, your $525 works a lot harder pointed almost anywhere else.
Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin + Dry-Aged Ribeye
A dry-aged ribeye needs something with real structure and a savory edge — not a fruit bomb. Rousseau's Gevrey delivers earthy depth, firm tannins, and the kind of umami-forward character that matches the funky intensity of dry-aged beef without overwhelming it. It's the pairing that makes you look smart without trying too hard.
Monday — Half-price wine night every Monday — applies to bottles and makes this list dramatically more accessible. Best night to explore.
The Bottom Line
Baltaire is unambiguously a trophy-bottle list in a trophy-bottle neighborhood, and it earns its Wine Spectator credential with genuine depth across France and California. The markups sting and there's no sommelier to guide you through it, but Monday night half-price wine makes this one of the better value plays in LA if you time it right.
West Adams · Los Angeles · Wine shop & bar
Adams is doing something genuinely rare in LA: a community-anchored wine bar with actual conviction behind the list and staff who can back it up. Send your friends here, especially the ones who think they don't like wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
· Los Angeles · Wine Bar
Augustine is doing the work: a genuinely eclectic 66-bottle list, half of it available by the glass, with pricing that respects what it's selling. If you like exploring wine without having to commit to a full bottle, this is exactly where you want to be.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Los Angeles · Wine Bar
Buvons is for people who already know what natural wine is and want nine well-chosen pours without a 50-page list getting in the way. If that's you, you'll feel right at home.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Los Angeles · Los Angeles · French Bistro / Wine Bar
Bar Etoile is doing exactly one thing, and it is doing it with conviction — if you want grower Champagne from serious small producers in a French bistro setting, this is your room. If you want options, look elsewhere.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Los Feliz · Los Angeles · Wine Bar
Tabula Rasa is the kind of wine bar that rewards regulars — the list rotates, the prices are fair, and the room alone is worth the visit. We'd send friends here on a Tuesday without hesitation.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Los Angeles · Los Angeles · Sushi / Japanese
Sushi Note is doing something genuinely uncommon: a thirteen-bottle list with no dead weight, fair prices, and the confidence to put Greek orange wine next to bluefin. If you let the list guide you, you'll drink better than you expected.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Eagle Ranch · Vail · American
The Wild Sage is your dependable neighborhood spot in Eagle Ranch — the wine list won't blow your mind, but it won't embarrass you at dinner either. Watch the markups on the top-shelf Napa bottles and stick to the mid-range, and you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Traverse City · American
Warehouse Kitchen + Cork won't win any awards for depth or ambition, but it plays its hand honestly — fair prices, solid local representation, and a full by-the-glass program that respects your wallet. If you're in Traverse City and want a glass of something local with a water view, this works.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Truckee · Truckee · American
Sunnyside is a casual lodge restaurant wearing a serious wine list under its flannel — the markup is steep and it won't win any awards for staff expertise, but the producer lineup is legitimately impressive for where you're sitting. If you're already at the lake, this is absolutely worth ordering a real bottle.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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