Chain-Link Wines, No Surprises, Move Along
· Glendale · Gastropub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bar Louie’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Bar Louie Glendale reads like someone printed off a grocery store shelf diagram and called it a day. Forty-two labels sounds like a real number until you realize it's the same six varietals repeated three times each. There's no story here, no curiosity — just the industry's greatest hits in triplicate.
The list is built almost entirely around the Big Six crowd-pleasers: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Moscato, Pinot Grigio, and Pinot Noir. No producers are named anywhere we can find, which is a bad sign — it usually means whatever was cheapest from the distributor that week. There are no regions to speak of, no Old World representation, no sparkling, no rosé, no anything that might require the staff to have a conversation about it. At 42 labels structured this way, the number itself is almost a trick.
By-the-glass specifics aren't published, but in a concept like this the pour list is almost certainly a subset of those same nameless varietals. Expect the standard gastropub lineup — one Chardonnay, one Cab, one Pinot Grigio — rotating only when a keg runs out. Don't count on anyone knowing what vintage is open.
The Bottom Line
Bar Louie is a perfectly fine place to drink a beer or a cocktail, but the wine list is an afterthought dressed up in column formatting. If wine is why you're going out, go somewhere else.
· Glendale · Hotel restaurant
Desert Sage is a hotel bar wine list that knows exactly what it is and makes no apologies. Unless DAOU is calling your name, order a cocktail and save the wine for dinner somewhere else in Glendale.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Glendale · Modern American
The Lola isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that perfectly clear. If you're eating here, order the Chandon to start, pick the Cape Mentelle Semillon if you want to feel something, and budget the rest of your enthusiasm for the food.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
VAI Resort · Glendale · Rooftop Bar / Small Plates
Amara Rooftop is a place you go for the view and a cocktail — the wine list is an afterthought dressed up in a resort price tag. If wine is your thing, drink something fun downstairs and come up here for the sunset.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
VAI Resort · Glendale · Mediterranean / New American
Cala isn't where you go to have your wine mind blown, but it's a competent, Mediterranean-focused list with enough range to drink well through dinner — and the Tignanello alone is reason enough to look past the resort pricing tax. Send a friend here knowing they'll be fine; just steer them away from the Santa Margherita.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westgate Entertainment District · Glendale · American gastropub / bar & grill
Bar Louie Westgate is a perfectly fine place to drink beer and watch a game — the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved seems to know it. If wine is your thing, order a cocktail and come back to the wine conversation at a different restaurant.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westgate Entertainment District · Glendale · Japanese & Sushi
Kabuki Westgate is a fun spot for sushi and cocktails on a Cardinals game night — just don't come for the wine list. Order a sake flight instead and save yourself the markup.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Wichita · Gastropub
Sheet's Creek is a reliable pour in a landlocked city — nothing here will surprise a seasoned wine drinker, but it won't embarrass you either. Send your friends if they like California reds and don't want to think too hard about it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Union Street · Traverse City · Gastropub
7 Monks is a beer bar first and a wine program somewhere around fourth, but the short list is priced fairly, includes a local Michigan pour worth ordering, and doesn't try to be something it's not. Send a wine-drinking friend here if they're cool with keeping it simple.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Oak Street · Ashland · Gastropub
The Noble Fox is a brewpub, and you should drink like it — order a house beer and enjoy the atmosphere. If you're committed to wine, stick to the Collet or the Provence rosé and set your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
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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