Minneapolis's Most French Wine List You Didn't Expect
Uptown · Minneapolis · French Bistro · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 8, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Barbette’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You're sitting in a cozy Uptown bistro, candles flickering, and the wine list reads like someone actually gave a damn — French naturals, Beaujolais crus, Loire whites. It's not a massive list, but it's focused in a way that most restaurants three times the size never manage. For Minneapolis, this is punching well above its weight class.
Barbette keeps it tight and French, which is exactly the right call for a bistro that's leaning into its identity. Beaujolais crus like Morgon and Fleurie anchor the reds — these are the kind of bottles that make wine drinkers quietly excited and everyone else pleasantly surprised. The Loire Valley holds it down on the white side with Muscadet and Sancerre, and there's Alsace and Côtes du Rhône rounding things out. The biodynamic and natural wine thread running through the list gives it a personality that most neighborhood spots would never bother with.
Somewhere between 12 and 20 options by the glass, which is generous for a restaurant this size. The glass program skews French and leans into the natural wine ethos of the bottle list, so you're not just getting generic Pinot Grigio filler. Rotation feels relatively static — don't expect a chalkboard changing every week, but what's there is worth drinking.
Morgon (Beaujolais Cru) — $12–$15/glass
Beaujolais cru by the glass at a fair pour price is the kind of thing you'd drive across town for in most cities. Morgon drinks like a lighter Burgundy and costs a fraction of one — order it and feel smug about it.
Muscadet (Loire Valley)
Everyone orders the Sancerre, but Muscadet is the sleeper hit of the Loire whites — bone dry, saline, with enough texture to stand up to the moules frites. Most people walk right past it, which just means more for the rest of us.
Sancerre
It's on every French bistro list and always marked up because the name sells itself. Perfectly fine wine, but you're paying the Sancerre tax here when the Muscadet or an Alsatian white will do the same job for less.
Fleurie (Beaujolais Cru) + Steak Frites
Fleurie is silky and fruit-forward with just enough structure to handle a proper steak frites — it's lighter than a Cab, won't fight the fries, and at bistro prices it makes the whole plate feel like a deal.
The Bottom Line
Barbette is a wine list built by someone who actually drinks wine and wants you to as well — it's small, French, and surprisingly legit for a neighborhood bistro in Uptown. If you're a natural wine fan or just someone who wants good Beaujolais with steak frites, send your friends here.
Downtown · Minneapolis · Brazilian churrascaria / Brazilian steakhouse
Fogo de Chão Minneapolis is a reliably fun night out if you're there for the meat spectacle — and you should be. The wine list is a supporting cast that knows its role: keep people happy, don't surprise anyone, move on. If wine is more than an afterthought for you, lower your expectations before you open the menu.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Loop / Warehouse District · Minneapolis · Modern Argentinian Steakhouse
Porzana punches above its class for a Minneapolis steakhouse — the Italian and Argentine selections show genuine curation, and the Fenocchio Barolo alone justifies a serious wine order. Just go in with eyes open on markups and skip the entry-level bottles unless you're pouring by the glass.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lowry Hill · Minneapolis · Steakhouse and Wood-Fired Pizza
Burch has the bones of a genuinely great wine program — knowledgeable staff, proper storage, and a list that respects the classics — but the pricing strategy on the mid-tier and entry-level bottles will test your patience. Go big or go home: the value-to-quality ratio only really clicks once you're spending $200+.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown / North Loop · Minneapolis · New American / Contemporary American
112 Eatery's wine list is punching well above its weight for a Minneapolis neighborhood bistro, with a genuinely distinctive Old World focus and producers that belong on serious lists anywhere in the country. The markups sting on a few bottles, but the curation earns enough goodwill to keep us coming back.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Loring Park · Minneapolis · New American
Cafe Lurcat is a reliable, well-staffed wine program in one of Minneapolis's prettiest dining rooms — just know you're paying a premium for the address and the ambiance. Ask the sommelier for help navigating the list and you'll drink well; go on autopilot and order the obvious Napa Cab and you'll leave having spent more than you should have.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Southwest Minneapolis (Fulton) · Minneapolis · Italian, fresh housemade pasta
Broders' Pasta Bar isn't a wine destination, but it's exactly the kind of neighborhood spot that gets the wine list right by staying in its lane. Fair prices, Italian focus, solid glass pours — bring a friend who orders by the bottle and you're in good shape.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hillcrest · San Diego · French Bistro
A French-leaning list where every glass shows its pour size, with sparkling starting at $19 and still wines at $16. Order the Crémant de Bordeaux at $19 a glass, or the Biéville Chablis with the Moules Marinières, and confirm vintages and prices. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks page, not service, storage or markups.
Wynwood · Miami · French Bistro
An all-French list with a wide posted spread, from a 45 rosé in 375ML to a 15,450 Romanée-Conti, plus a short glass-and-carafe list for a regular dinner. Start with the 15 Le Gouleyant Malbec by the glass, or the Chinon at 70 if you want a bottle, and confirm current prices and sizes since no currency symbol or bottle size is printed on the wine list. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Lincoln Park · Chicago · French Bistro
Start with the $13 Maison les Alexandrins Syrah by the glass, or pour the Gustave Lorentz Gewurztraminer with the roast chicken at $16 a glass or $64 a bottle. Bottle prices on the wine list carry no unit label, so check them against the Btl column on the glass list, and confirm availability. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or retail markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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