Come for the beer, skip the wine
West Des Moines · Des Moines · Brewpub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Barn Town Brewery’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Barn Town Brewery takes about four seconds to read — because there are exactly three options on it. This is a brewery first, a restaurant second, and a wine destination approximately never. The wines feel like they were added to appease a partner who doesn't drink beer, not because anyone here actually cares about them.
Three labels: a Coppola Chardonnay, a Matua Sauvignon Blanc, and a Luccio Moscato. That's California, New Zealand, and Italy represented by some of the most mass-market, grocery-aisle picks available. There's no depth, no regional curiosity, no attempt to find something interesting or local. The Coppola Diamond Collection and Matua are fine wines in the sense that they exist and are technically drinkable, but a brewery in Des Moines could do so much better if it tried even a little.
All three wines are available by the glass, which is to say the entire list is available by the glass — because the entire list is three wines. Pours run $8.50 to $9.50, which feels aggressive for wines you can find at any Hy-Vee for $10-$12 a bottle. There's no rotation, no seasonal swap, no sign that anyone is paying attention.
Matua Sauvignon Blanc — $8.50
If you must order wine here, the Matua is the most honest pick — it's crisp, straightforward, and at least tastes intentional. It's still overpriced relative to retail, but it's the least offensive option on the list.
Luccio Moscato
Nobody orders Moscato at a brewery, which means nobody is judging you for it either. It's sweet, low-alcohol, and if you're splitting a dessert or just want something light and cold, it quietly does its job without pretending to be anything else.
Coppola Chardonnay
At $9.50 a glass or $38 a bottle, you're paying a 3-4x markup on a supermarket Chardonnay that retails around $12. The Francis Ford Coppola Diamond Collection is a perfectly acceptable grocery store wine — at grocery store prices. Here it's just expensive mediocrity.
Matua Sauvignon Blanc + brewery pretzel
We don't have verified menu specifics, but nearly every brewpub runs a soft pretzel — and the Matua's grassy, citrus-forward character cuts through salt and dough better than the Chardonnay or Moscato would. It's the most food-friendly wine on a very short list.
The Bottom Line
Barn Town Brewery is a genuinely solid craft beer destination, and we respect it for that — but the wine program is an afterthought dressed up as an option. Order a pint, save the wine for literally anywhere else.
Downtown Des Moines · Des Moines · American, Regional
Proudfoot & Bird is the kind of place where the room earns a star the wine list can't quite match — solid enough for a business dinner or a date night in a stunning space, but don't come expecting to find something you've never heard of. If you're in Des Moines and want a dependable glass in a beautiful room, it works.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Johnston · Des Moines · Wine bar / American
Louie's Johnston is exactly what a suburban wine bar should be — a big by-the-glass list, fair prices, and zero pretension. Send your friends here when they want to drink well without a side of attitude.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Clive · Des Moines · Steakhouse & American
Club Car is a reliable steakhouse wine list doing exactly what it was built to do: keep Cab drinkers happy and nobody walking out complaining. Don't come here for discovery, but don't leave without ordering the Jordan.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waukee · Des Moines · Japanese / Asian Fusion / Sushi
Wasabi Waukee is a genuinely good sushi restaurant that treats its wine list like an afterthought — familiar names, steep markups, and zero curiosity about what wines might actually sing alongside the food. Order the cocktails or sake instead, and save the wine discussion for somewhere that cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Ingersoll / Grand · Des Moines · Contemporary American
Louie's Wine Dive is the kind of place Des Moines needs more of — a real wine program in a no-pretense room, with Tuesday half-price deals that make experimenting genuinely low-stakes. It's not a destination list, but it's absolutely a destination night.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Clive · Des Moines · American, Brewpub
Granite City is a brewery that tolerates wine, and the list reflects that perfectly. Drink the beer — it's the whole point of being here.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Moab · Brewpub
Moab Brewery is a solid brewpub doing exactly what it should — pouring craft beer to dusty hikers and mountain bikers. The wine list is an afterthought, and that's fine, as long as you treat it like one. Order the beer. If someone at your table insists on wine, the Trapiche Malbec is probably your least-bad option, but don't come here for the wine.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Hood River · Brewpub
pFriem is one of the best brewpubs in the Pacific Northwest, and the wine list knows its role — it's backup, not the headliner. If you're the wine person in a group of beer people, you'll survive and probably drink something decent from the region. If wine is your whole reason for going out, Hood River has better options for that and pFriem has better options for you — namely, the beer.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Truckee · Brewpub
Alibi Ale Works Truckee Public House is a brewpub that remembered wine drinkers exist — and that's genuinely more than many peers do. The list won't excite anyone with serious wine interest, but it gives casual drinkers enough familiar options to have a decent glass with their meal. Come for the beer, stay if you must for the wine.
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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