Central Europe's best kept Cincinnati secret
Downtown · Cincinnati · German and Central European farm-to-table · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 5, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Bauer Farm Kitchen stops you cold — in the best way. In a city where most restaurant lists default to California Cab and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, this one opens with Mosel Riesling and Grüner Veltliner from Kamptal. Someone here actually thought about this.
Thirty to forty labels, almost entirely Germany and Austria, with a few Central European wildcards thrown in for good measure. The Riesling bench is legit: Dr. Loosen anchors the approachable end, Clemens Busch Trocken handles the serious drinking at $58, and Weingut Wittmann rounds out the dry-style argument from Rheinhessen. On the red side, Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt from Bründlmayer give you something to actually think about, and the occasional Spätburgunder from Baden or Pfalz covers anyone still warming up to Central European reds. The list does have gaps — if you want Burgundy, Barolo, or anything from the Southern Hemisphere, you're out of luck — but that's clearly by design, not neglect.
Eight to ten pours rotating through the German and Austrian hits, priced between $9 and $15 a glass. You can drink house Sekt to start, pivot to a Grüner Veltliner mid-meal, and finish on a Zweigelt without ever leaving Central Europe — which, honestly, is exactly the right move at a place serving Jägerschnitzel. The BTG list is tight enough to stay focused without feeling stingy.
Clemens Busch Riesling Trocken (Mosel) — $58
A village-level dry Riesling from one of the Mosel's most serious producers at just over double retail. Clemens Busch doesn't show up on many restaurant lists at any price — finding it here at $58 is a genuine score, especially alongside a plate of house sausages and spaetzle.
Weingut Franz Hirtzberger Grüner Veltliner (Wachau, Smaragd)
At $98 it's the priciest bottle on the list, but Hirtzberger Smaragd is Wachau royalty — the kind of Grüner that makes Austrian wine skeptics rethink everything. The markup is actually the lightest on the whole list at 78% over retail. Most tables will walk right past it. Don't.
Dr. Loosen 'Dr. L' Riesling (Mosel)
It's a perfectly fine Riesling and the $11 glass price is fair, but Dr. L is a $12 retail bottle you can grab at any wine shop in Cincinnati. With Clemens Busch and Wittmann on the same list, there's no reason to settle for the entry-level pour.
Weingut Bründlmayer Blaufränkisch (Burgenland) + Jägerschnitzel
Blaufränkisch has enough dark fruit and peppery edge to stand up to the mushroom cream sauce without steamrolling the pork. It's the grape that was basically built for this dish — just never had a great American restaurant list to prove it on. This one does.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Bauer Farm Kitchen is doing something genuinely unusual for Cincinnati: building a wine list that actually matches the food, the region, and a clear point of view. If you have even a passing interest in German or Austrian wine, this list will reward you — and the pricing won't punish you for exploring.
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