Beer First, But Wine Shows Up
Downtown Livermore · Livermore · American Gastropub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Beer Baron Bar & Kitchen’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The name says Beer Baron and the list confirms that beer is running this show — but flip to the wine section and it's not an afterthought. Thirteen labels, all California-focused, priced in a range that won't make you wince. This is a wine list built for people who want wine with their burger, not people hunting for a Barolo.
The list leans hard into reliable California names — Macmurray, Cannonball, St. Francis, Dry Creek — and that's fine, because they've picked decent representatives rather than the cheapest bin options. There's a Union Sacré Cabernet Franc from Paso Robles that hints at someone making an actual decision here, and a Zickefoose Zinfandel from Russian River that earns its spot. Gaps are obvious: no rosé, no sparkling beyond Korbel and a Prosecco, and zero representation outside California and Italy. Red-heavy, crowd-friendly, and intentionally uncomplicated.
Nine pours by the glass running $10–$13 is a respectable setup for a gastropub. Happy hour Monday through Friday from 2–5pm knocks select wines down to unknown-but-discounted pricing — the Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc, Union Sacré Cabernet Franc, and Carmel Road Pinot Noir all rotate through that deal. The BTG range covers the bases without any real stars, but at these prices, you're not expecting stars.
Dry Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc — $10/glass
Dry Creek makes a genuinely good Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc and it's likely the cheapest glass on the list. Grab it during happy hour and it's an even better deal — crisp, citrus-forward, and one of the more honest pours here.
Union Sacré Cabernet Franc
Paso Robles Cab Franc is not what most people expect at a place called Beer Baron, and that's exactly why you should order it. Union Sacré makes a serious, earthy wine that sits apart from the Cab Sauv crowd on this list — and it makes the happy hour rotation, so the timing can work in your favor.
Korbel Brut
At $10 a glass or $36 a bottle, you're paying restaurant markup on a supermarket sparkling wine. Korbel is fine for a mimosa at brunch, but there's no reason to spend real money on it here when the still wine options offer more for the same price.
Zickefoose Zinfandel + Burger
Russian River Zinfandel has the fruit weight and spice to hold up against a grilled burger without steamrolling it. It's the most interesting red on the list and the most obvious match for what a gastropub does best.
The Bottom Line
Beer Baron isn't trying to be a wine destination and it doesn't pretend to be — but the list is priced fairly, skewed toward decent producers, and has just enough personality to keep wine drinkers from ordering a beer instead. Send a friend here for wine? Sure, if they're also ordering food and keeping their expectations calibrated to the room.
· Livermore · Wine lounge / live music
Almost Famous is a genuinely local wine lounge with a genuinely short list, and that's not a criticism — it's a commitment. If you live in the Livermore Valley and want to drink local without a lot of fuss, this is your spot. The pricing is honest, the wines are real, and the Cab Franc alone is worth a visit.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Livermore · Italian
Pasta's Trattoria won't blow any wine nerds away, but it's a genuinely solid neighborhood Italian spot that takes its wine seriously enough to make dinner feel complete. If you're in Pleasanton and want a reliable glass with your risotto, you won't be disappointed.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Livermore · Italian / Sports Bar
Range Cafe isn't destination wine drinking, but it's a better list than a bocce club has any business running — just don't come looking for adventure outside the California Cabernet universe. Order the Zin, skip the trophy bottles, and focus on the game.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Livermore · Cocktail Bar / Small Plates
Le Nocturne is a genuinely fun room with a French menu that deserves a better wine list than what the concept seems to prioritize — the atmosphere earns it Wild Card status because the potential is real, but until the wine program matches the culinary ambition, order a cocktail and come back when they figure it out. If you're going for wine, go informed and go with a bottle.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Livermore · New American / Gastropub
Rebel Kitchen's wine list doesn't rebel against anything — it's eleven safe bottles with steep markups in a region that's literally surrounded by wineries. Order a cocktail, which is clearly what they actually care about.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Livermore · Cocktail Bar / New American
Black Cat is a Wild Card in the best way: it's a buzzy cocktail bar that actually thought about its wine program, sits in genuine wine country, and throws in a no-corkage Thursday deal that most full wine bars would never offer. We'd send a friend here — and we'd tell them to bring a bottle from down the road.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Old Town · Scottsdale · American Gastropub
A long wine list that mixes Arizona and California bottles with Italian, French and Spanish wines, posted as pairs like 14 / 44 and single prices like 86. Start with the 13 / 48 Les Hauts Plateaux Rosé, or the 101 Scythians Red if you want the one Cucamonga Valley wine, and ask what each number in a pair covers. The restaurant's menus page and its linked PDF differ on some wines, so confirm before you go. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
The Loop · Chicago · American Gastropub
A glass list that tags every pour by style, with 18 wines from $15 to $25 and a 128-line bottle list from $50 to $550. Start with The Gage Brut at $15 or the Troupis 'Ekato' orange Moschofilero at $16, and confirm prices because the menu is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Yountville · American Gastropub
Goose & Gander is playing a different game than most Napa gastropubs — the Paul Hobbs curatorial thread pulls the list into genuinely unexpected territory, from Armenian Areni to Galician Godello, without abandoning the California core that belongs here. If you're in Yountville and want a wine list that gives you something to talk about, this is the move.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
