Every Bottle by the Glass, No Apologies
· San Francisco · Wine Tavern · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Big Finish Wine Tavern’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The concept hits you immediately: 56 wines on the list, all 56 available by the glass. That's not a wine list — that's a statement. Big Finish is built around exploration, and from the jump, the menu signals it's not here to play it safe.
This list earns serious respect for its range. You've got sparkling options across Prosecco, Crémant d'Alsace, Lambrusco, and Cava; a rosé section with both Old World and Italian takes; and a genuinely excellent 'Sweet Finish' section covering Sauternes, Sherry Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez, Madeira Bual, and Port Tawny — that's a fortified wine lineup most proper wine bars can't touch. The 'Crisp Finish' whites lean deep and weird in the best way: Müller-Thurgau from Germany, Colombard from Gascony, Piquepoul from Languedoc, and Chenin Blanc from the Loire. There are real gaps — no substantial red wine section appears in the data, and the list skews heavily toward lighter, lower-alcohol styles — but that's a choice, not a failure. The Vignalta Orange Muscat Frizzante 'Fior d'Arancio' alone signals someone with actual taste built this list.
The entire list is by the glass, which is either the best idea in San Francisco right now or logistically chaotic depending on the night. Glass pours run $12–$29, with fortified and dessert wines landing in the $12–$16 range — remarkably honest pricing for those categories. Rotation appears fixed rather than seasonal, but with 56 options, you're unlikely to feel stuck.
Hidalgo Sherry Pedro Ximénez — $12/glass
Sherry at this quality level typically runs $16–$22 by the glass elsewhere. The Hidalgo PX is a rich, serious pour — and $12 for it is a genuine steal. Order it with dessert or just order it.
Vignalta Orange Muscat Frizzante 'Fior d'Arancio'
Most people walk right past anything labeled 'frizzante' and assume it's cute but inconsequential. This Vignalta from the Colli Euganei is DOC-certified, lightly sparkling, and carries that orange blossom intensity that makes you reconsider everything you thought about Muscat. It's at $13/glass and it will surprise you.
Codorníu Non-Alcoholic Brut Rosé 'Zero'
At $57 a bottle, you're paying real wine money for something that by design can't deliver what wine actually is. Non-alcoholic sparkling has its place, but this isn't a value play — it's a novelty with a premium price tag. There are better ways to spend $57 on this list.
Blandy's Madeira Bual '5 Year' + Charcuterie or aged cheese board
Madeira's natural acidity and oxidative nutty complexity cut through fat beautifully. A Bual sits in the semi-sweet zone — rich enough to stand up to aged cheese, lively enough not to overwhelm. At $16/glass it's one of the most food-friendly pours on the menu.
The Bottom Line
Big Finish is doing something genuinely different — an all-glass list built around obscure varietals, serious fortified wine, and pricing that doesn't punish curiosity. Send anyone here who wants to drink something they've never tried before and walk away feeling like they learned something.
Mission Bay · San Francisco · Seafood and Steak
Miller & Lux is a dependable, well-run wine program for a high-end steakhouse — backed by knowledgeable staff, proper storage, and a focus on the regions that make sense with the food. The markup is steep and the list plays it safe, so this isn't where you go to discover something new. If you're celebrating and want a bottle that feels appropriate to the moment and the room, you'll land on something good — just go in knowing you're paying a premium for the setting as much as the wine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Union Square · San Francisco · Hotel New American
MKT is a hotel restaurant that treats its wine list like a liability to be managed rather than an asset to be celebrated. Nineteen bottles, steep hotel pricing, and no evidence of a thoughtful by-the-glass program add up to a list you tolerate rather than enjoy. If you're at the Four Seasons for a special occasion, you'll find something drinkable — but don't come here because of the wine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Proper
· San Francisco · Thai
Nari is doing something genuinely strange and genuinely impressive — building a grower champagne program inside a Thai restaurant that would hold up against dedicated wine bars across the city. The markup is real and the list skews expensive, but if you care about this category of wine, there is no other Thai restaurant in San Francisco where you're having this conversation. Go in knowing what you want and what you're willing to spend.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Francisco · Winery Tasting Room
If you're driving through Sonoma and want to understand why Chardonnay still matters in California, Kistler's tasting room makes a strong case — but you need an appointment and you need to want exactly what they're pouring. The cheese, dips, and crackers are incidental; the wines are the entire point. Book ahead, show up curious, and let the vineyard-specific lineup do the work.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· San Francisco · French
Absinthe pulls off something harder than it looks: a tight, all-by-the-glass list that still has genuine depth and fair pricing across almost every tier. The Chevillon and Carillon alone signal that someone here takes wine seriously, and the entry-level pours — Carignan, Riesling, Grenache Rosé, all at $15/glass — mean you don't have to spend big to drink well. If you're near Hayes Valley and want a real glass of Burgundy or an obscure Loire red without a lecture, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Francisco · Japanese izakaya
Rintaro's wine list is a four-bottle edit that respects your intelligence and suits the food. Pricing is fair, the selections are deliberate, and nothing feels like it wandered in from a default distributor catalog. If you're comfortable with a short list and trust that someone thought about it, this is a good place to drink wine with dinner.
Small but Thoughtful
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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