Virginia Beach Finally Has a Serious Wine List
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach · American, Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 12, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Becca lands like a surprise — you're steps from the Atlantic Avenue boardwalk tourist strip, and somehow there's a 200-plus bottle program curated by an actual sommelier. It reads confident and focused, not padded, with California and France carrying the weight and Virginia getting a genuine seat at the table rather than a token nod.
CJ Chaterlee has built something worth talking about here. California anchors the list with serious names like Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay and Caymus and Jordan on the Cab side — crowd-pleasing yes, but executed at a level most beach restaurants wouldn't bother with. France shows up properly with Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet representing Burgundy at its best, and the inclusion of Oregon via Domaine Drouhin shows some range beyond the obvious. The Virginia section earns real respect: Barboursville Vineyards and RdV Vineyards are the two most compelling producers in the state, and having both on the same list in 2025 signals that someone here actually cares.
Twenty to thirty-five by-the-glass options is generous for a restaurant of this size, and the range tracks with the broader list rather than defaulting to generic house pours. Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling by the glass alongside a plate of fresh local oysters is one of the better easy calls on the menu. We'd want to know more about pour rotation, but the foundation is clearly there.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $40
Washington Riesling at the entry point of this list is a genuine steal — it's a food-driven wine that punches above its price on a list where bottles run to $500 and beyond, and it's the smartest order for the oyster and seafood-heavy menu.
RdV Vineyards
Most tables at Becca will gravitate toward California or Burgundy, and RdV will get overlooked. That's a mistake. This Rappahannock County producer makes some of the most serious Bordeaux-style reds on the East Coast, and seeing it on a Virginia Beach wine list at all is genuinely rare — order it before someone else does.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is fine, but it's also on every steakhouse list in America and marked up accordingly. With Jordan on the same list — more nuanced, equally dependable, typically better value — there's no reason to default to the Caymus unless you already know that's your bottle.
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay + Pan-seared scallops
Kistler's Chardonnay has the weight and richness to match the caramelized sear on the scallops without steamrolling the sweetness of the meat — it's a California Chard that actually plays well with food instead of overwhelming it.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Becca is doing something genuinely uncommon for Virginia Beach: a real wine program with a credentialed sommelier, fair pricing, and a Virginia section that respects the state's best producers. If you're eating on the oceanfront and want a serious bottle, this is the only address that matters.
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach · American, Seafood
Tautog's has held a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2002, and the list earns it — reliably stocked, fairly priced, and well-matched to a serious seafood kitchen. It's not the list you come to Virginia Beach specifically to drink from, but it's absolutely the list you're glad is there when the scallops arrive.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach · Indian
Masala Bites is exactly the kind of Wild Card that earns its stripes — a well-considered wine list in a place you'd never think to look for one. Send your friends who claim wine doesn't work with Indian food; the Riesling will change their minds.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach · Asian, Sushi
Orion's Roof earned its Wine Spectator badge — the list is genuinely ambitious for what is, let's be honest, a rooftop sushi bar on the Virginia Beach boardwalk. The markups keep this from being a full Rager, but if you order smart, the view and the wine can absolutely justify the trip.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach · American, Seafood
Eurasia Cafe is doing something genuinely better than its zip code requires, and the Wine Spectator hardware is earned. If you're in Virginia Beach and you care about what's in your glass, this is where you go.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Oceanfront · Virginia Beach · Coastal American Bar & Restaurant
The Atlantic Social is punching well above its weight class for a Virginia Beach oceanfront spot — the list has genuine ambition and some real finds. Markup inconsistencies hold it back from a higher tier, but if you're willing to hunt, there's better wine here than anyone is expecting.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Oceanfront · Virginia Beach · Coastal American Seafood
Tide & Table isn't going to blow any wine geeks away, but it's a well-considered list with fair pricing that actually matches its coastal menu — and that's more than you can say for most restaurants a block from the beach. Send a friend here and tell them to order the Roederer with the oysters.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Scott's Addition · Richmond · American, Seafood
Lillian is the rare spot where the wine list is more ambitious than the address suggests — a focused, France-and-Italy-forward program with legit producers, a knowledgeable floor lead, and bottle prices that don't feel punitive. Send a friend here, tell them to sit at the counter, order oysters, and ask PJ what's open.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
River North · Chicago · American, Seafood
Terrace 16 earns its Wine Spectator badge and delivers a respectable, California-and-France-focused list in one of Chicago's most dramatic dining rooms. Just don't expect to be surprised — the wine is as reliable as the skyline view, and nearly as expensive.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Natchitoches · Natchitoches · American, Seafood
Mariner's isn't trying to be a wine destination — it's a waterfront restaurant in Natchitoches that happens to take its California Cab and Chardonnay seriously, and the Wine Spectator credential is earned. Send your friends here for the view and the Steak Oscar, and trust that the wine list won't let you down.
Plays It Safe
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.