Five Hundred Bottles Deep in the North Loop
North Loop · Minneapolis · Spanish tapas · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed March 29, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list at Barcelona and immediately feel like the restaurant is taking wine more seriously than a tapas bar in a North Loop hotel corridor has any right to. Five hundred selections is a real number — not a padded list full of duplicates — and the Old World lean is obvious and intentional. This isn't a wine-as-afterthought situation.
The list skews hard toward Spain and South America, which makes total sense for the format, and the depth in both is genuinely impressive. Iberian regions anchor the core — expect Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and Penedès getting real shelf space — while Chile and Uruguay fill in the New World side without feeling like afterthoughts. The Marcel Couturier Mâcon-Loché represents a thoughtful French detour, and seeing Uruguay on a Minneapolis tapas list at all is worth a raised eyebrow in the best way. If there's a gap, it's that adventurous natural wine drinkers might find the list a bit conventional despite its size.
Forty by-the-glass options is a serious by-the-glass program — most restaurants top out at a dozen and call it a day. The range pulls from the same geographic priorities as the bottle list, so you're not just getting house pours from nowhere. The only downside is there's no visible rotation or seasonal shake-up, so regulars may find the glass menu predictable over repeat visits.
Casas del Bosque Pinot Noir Casablanca Chile — null
Casablanca Valley Pinot Noir from a reliable Chilean producer is chronically underpriced relative to what you'd pay for comparable quality from Burgundy or even Oregon. It's the kind of bottle that overdelivers on a tapas budget.
Bodegas Cerro Chapeu Chardonnay Uruguay
Uruguay on a wine list is still a novelty in most American cities, and Chardonnay from there even more so. Most people scroll past it toward something familiar — which means more of it for the curious. It's worth the gamble.
BarCava Brut Penedès Spain
House-label sparkling is almost always the lowest-margin move for the restaurant and the lowest-excitement move for you. The Penedès can do much better than a branded entry point — push your server for something more specific from the same region.
Polkura Syrah Colchagua Chile + Hearty aperitivo board
Colchagua Syrah brings enough pepper and dark fruit to stand up to cured meats and aged cheeses without bulldozing the lighter bites. It's the right amount of wine for a spread that's meant to be grazed, not attacked.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Barcelona Wine Bar is doing something genuinely ambitious for the North Loop — 500 bottles, 40 by the glass, and a geographic focus that actually matches the food. Send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation; just don't expect the staff to geek out alongside you.
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
Uptown · Minneapolis · French Bistro
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.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
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
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