Bubbles and Books in the Blue Ridge
Downtown Asheville · Asheville · Wine Bar · Visit Website ↗
Updated May 2026
Reviewed February 21, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The name tells you everything: this is a champagne bar inside a used bookstore, and somehow it works perfectly. The list leans hard into bubbles—Champagne, Cava, Franciacorta, even some Virginia sparklers—with enough depth to surprise anyone who thinks this is just a novelty concept. It's quirky Asheville at its best.
The champagne selection punches above its weight for a mountain town wine bar. You'll find grower Champagnes from Pierre Gimonnet and Larmandier-Bernier sitting alongside more accessible Veuve Clicquot and Nicolas Feuillatte. The Cava game is strong—Raventós i Blanc and Gramona show up regularly—and they've got a soft spot for French and Italian still wines that complement the bubbly focus. Burgundy gets proper attention with selections from Domaine Faiveley and Louis Jadot, and there's a small but thoughtful selection of Rhône and Loire Valley bottles. The list isn't massive, but it's curated with actual thought.
By-the-glass pours rotate through 8-10 options with a clear champagne-first philosophy. You'll typically find one grower Champagne, one Cava or Prosecco, and a rotating cast of still whites and reds that lean French. Pours are generous and priced in the $12-18 range for most options, with champagne glasses running $16-24. The rotation happens monthly, sometimes more frequently if something sells through fast.
Raventós i Blanc Conca del Riu Anoia — $42
This Cava drinks like $70 Champagne—chalky, complex, with real aging potential. Made from indigenous Catalan grapes using the traditional method, it's proof that Spain's best sparklers can hang with anything from Reims.
Pierre Gimonnet Cuis 1er Cru Brut
Grower Champagne from a Chardonnay specialist that most people skip because they don't recognize the name. Pure Côte des Blancs terroir at a fraction of what the big houses charge for similar quality.
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label
At $95 a bottle, you're paying the brand tax. Nothing wrong with the wine, but you can do so much better with literally any of their grower Champagne options for less money.
Gramona Imperial Brut Gran Reserva + Cheese and Charcuterie Board
The extended aging on this Cava gives it enough richness and oxidative notes to stand up to aged cheeses and cured meats. The Spanish-to-Spanish logic works, and the bubbles cut through the fat like a pro.
The Bottom Line
This is the rare concept spot that actually delivers on wine. Yes, you're drinking champagne surrounded by used paperbacks, but the list is serious and the staff knows their bubbles. Absolutely worth a visit if you're in Asheville and want something more interesting than another brewery.
Downtown Asheville · Asheville · Farm to Table
The Blackbird is doing wine right in a town that's more known for craft beer — there's a real sommelier (Sarah Reder) behind this list and it shows. Send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Asheville · Asheville · American
Vue 1913 is a reliable wine destination for guests who know what they like and want to drink it with a jaw-dropping view — just don't expect the list to push you anywhere new. Send your California Cab-loving friends here without hesitation; send your natural wine friends somewhere else.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Asheville · Asheville · American, Farm to Table
Jargon is doing something real with wine in a neighborhood that doesn't demand it, and that's exactly why it deserves your attention. Send a friend here — just tell them to skip the Napa Cab and ask about the Minervois.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Asheville · Asheville · American
The Dining Room is genuinely worth the trip, and not just because of the mansion backdrop — the sommelier team is real, the cellar is serious, and Wednesday half-price wine night turns a splurge into a steal. Markups on the prestige bottles are steep, but the overall program earns its Best of Award of Excellence.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Asheville · Asheville · Middle Eastern
Jerusalem Garden Cafe does Middle Eastern food well, but the wine program is non-existent. Stick to the Turkish coffee or mint tea and save your wine budget for literally anywhere else in Asheville.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Red Flag
MIA
Set & Forget
Hot Mess
Downtown · Asheville · Southern
Husk isn't trying to be a wine destination, and that's fine—it's a solid supporting cast to excellent Southern cooking. The list is fair, approachable, and won't leave you feeling gouged or bored.
Solid Range
Fair
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Southwest Atlanta · Atlanta · Wine Bar
BOSK is quietly doing something interesting in a neighborhood that most Atlanta wine lists ignore completely, and that alone earns it a look. We need more data on specific bottles and pricing before we can tell you exactly what to order, but the concept is right and the vibe is genuinely welcoming. If you're in Southwest Atlanta and want wine without pretense alongside cauliflower bites or a BLT with candied beef bacon, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Acworth · Wine Bar
Broken Anchor isn't going to satisfy anyone hunting rare bottles or obsessing over markups — but that's not who it's for. If you're in Acworth and want to drink local wine in a room where trivia night is a real possibility, this is your place. We'd send a friend here with the right expectations firmly set in advance.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
West Cobb · Marietta · Wine Bar
unWine'd & Tap fills a real gap in West Cobb — a genuinely social wine bar with solid food, good energy on a Friday night, and a staff that seems to care even if they're not Master Sommeliers. We'd send a friend here for a low-stakes date night or a girls' night out, with the caveat that you should explore the list before anchoring to the obvious picks. Reservations on weekends are non-negotiable.
Solid Range
Fair
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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