Game Day Wines for the Unadventurous
Westgate Entertainment District · Glendale · American gastropub / bar & grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 27, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bar Louie – Westgate’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 Westgate reads like the shelf at a grocery store that someone forgot to update. It gets the job done if your goal is a glass of something recognizable before a Coyotes game, but there's no ambition here — just familiar labels doing familiar things at not-so-familiar prices.
We're looking at a California-only list anchored entirely by mass-market brands: Kendall-Jackson, Meiomi, Josh Cellars. There's no regional diversity, no independent producers, and nothing that would make a wine-curious drinker lean in. The list tops out around 20 bottles, which is fine for a sports bar, but when those 20 bottles are all Greatest Hits from the supermarket aisle, the depth conversation ends before it starts. Gaps are everywhere — no sparkling, no rosé worth mentioning, no white that isn't Chardonnay.
The by-the-glass program runs 8-12 options, which sounds respectable until you realize it's just the greatest hits spread across formats. You're getting Meiomi Pinot Noir, Josh Cabernet, and KJ Chard at every turn, poured into standard stems by staff who are friendly but unlikely to steer you toward anything interesting. There's no rotation, no seasonal swap-in — what's on the menu today was probably on it a year ago.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay — $10
If you're here and you want wine, this is the call. It's the least offensive option on the list, widely consistent, and at bar-pour pricing it won't wreck your night financially.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
It's not exactly a hidden gem in the traditional sense — Meiomi is everywhere — but in this context, it's the most food-friendly wine on the menu. Slightly chilled, it actually works with the burger lineup better than anything else here.
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Josh Cab at a bar markup is a tough sell. You're paying restaurant pricing for a bottle you can grab at Total Wine for $12. The wine isn't bad — it's just not worth the math in this setting.
Meiomi Pinot Noir + Burgers and sliders
Meiomi's soft fruit and easy tannins won't fight the beef, and the slight sweetness in the wine handles the char on a bar burger better than a heavy Cab would. It's the right call when the kitchen is cranking during a packed event night.
The Bottom Line
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.
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 · 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
Downtown Glendale · Glendale · Pizza, American Gastropub
Desert Rose is a genuinely fun neighborhood spot with a patio worth sitting on — just don't come here for the wine list. Order a craft beer or a cocktail, enjoy the pizza, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Arrowhead Ranch / Union Hills · Glendale · Wine Bar
Turquoise Wine Bar is the kind of place that earns its Wild Card badge honestly — not by being weird for weird's sake, but by curating a genuinely curious list in a zip code that didn't ask for one. Send your wine-curious friends here; they'll leave with something new to talk about.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westgate · Glendale · Italian-American
Maggiano's Westgate is perfectly fine for a glass of wine with dinner — just don't come expecting the list to match the ambition of the kitchen. If wine is actually important to your night, this probably isn't your destination.
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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