Fort Wayne's best-kept wine secret
Downtown · Fort Wayne · French-inspired bistro with Midwestern influence · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 26, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bistro Nota’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Bistro Nota is compact — 15 labels isn't a lot to work with — but the selections signal that someone here is paying attention. This isn't a restaurant that grabbed whatever the distributor was pushing; there's a real point of view, even if it's not fully built out yet. For downtown Fort Wayne, it's quietly punching above its weight class.
The list leans into Italian producers, specifically the Scarpetta portfolio from Friuli and Delle Venezie, which is a genuinely interesting choice for a French-inspired bistro in the Midwest. You've got a Pinot Grigio, a Cabernet Franc from Colli Orientali del Friuli, and a Spumante Brut Rosé — not names you stumble across at a chain steakhouse. The California side is represented by Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, which is a crowd-pleaser but a credible one. The gaps are real — no Burgundy, no Loire, no Spanish or South American options — but what's here has been chosen with intent, and the Scarpetta wine dinners they host suggest the kitchen and front-of-house are actively engaged with the list.
Eight to twelve options by the glass is a generous pour program for a list this size, which means most of what they carry is available without committing to a bottle. That's the right call for a neighborhood bistro where you might want a glass of bubbles before dinner and pivot to something red. Rotation isn't well-documented publicly, but the wine dinner programming hints at occasional updates tied to featured producers.
Scarpetta Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio — null
Scarpetta's Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio isn't your grocery store Pinot Grigio — it's a clean, mineral-driven pour from a producer that takes northern Italian whites seriously. In a room full of oaky Chardonnays and anonymous whites, this is the move. Price data wasn't confirmed, but at typical restaurant pricing for this tier, it's the smartest glass on the list.
Scarpetta Colli Orientali del Friuli Cabernet Franc
Most tables will walk right past a Friuli Cabernet Franc without a second look, which is their loss. Colli Orientali del Friuli is cooler-climate territory, and Cabernet Franc from that zone tends to be savory, herbal, and more structured than its New World counterparts — nothing like a jammy California red. It's an unusual and interesting bottle that most people at this restaurant won't order, which is exactly why you should.
Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon
Austin Hope is a perfectly fine Paso Robles Cab — big, ripe, reliable — but it's also widely distributed and easy to find at retail for considerably less than restaurant markup. It's the one wine on this list that feels like it was added for the table that just wants something familiar. Let someone else order it.
Scarpetta Spumante Brut Rosé Timido + Housemade desserts
A dry Spumante Brut Rosé has enough acidity and fine bubble to cut through rich, creamy desserts without turning cloying. At a bistro that makes its desserts from scratch, ending with a glass of Timido instead of a dessert wine is a sleeper move — it refreshes the palate while still feeling celebratory.
The Bottom Line
Bistro Nota isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the Scarpetta-forward list and producer dinner programming suggest real curiosity underneath a modest exterior. If you're in Fort Wayne and want a glass that wasn't chosen by algorithm, this is your table.
· Fort Wayne · Italian
Biaggi's Fort Wayne is a safe harbor for anyone who wants a glass of California Cab with their chicken parmesan and doesn't want any surprises. If you dig past the obvious picks, there's a short but legitimate Italian selection worth your attention — but the list as a whole isn't why you're coming here.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Wayne · Irish Pub
J.K. O'Donnell's is a beer bar first and a wine list second, but the pricing is so reasonable and the selection so inoffensive that ordering a bottle doesn't feel like a mistake. Come for the pint, stay for the surprisingly affordable Malbec.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Wayne · Modern American
Charlie's Place is doing something genuinely uncommon: running a smart, adventurous wine program in a mid-sized Midwest city without hedging everything toward crowd-pleasing safety. We'd send a friend here specifically for wine, which is not something we say often about Fort Wayne.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Wayne · New American
Copper Spoon proves you don't need a 200-bottle binder to run a thoughtful wine program — you just need to care about what you put on the list. For Fort Wayne, this is genuinely one of the better places to order a bottle without second-guessing yourself.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Wayne · Steakhouse / Supper Club
Club Soda is a reliable steakhouse wine list that knows its audience: Cab-drinking Fort Wayne locals who want the Caymus and don't need to think too hard. If you dig a little deeper, the Châteauneuf and the Amarone reward the curious — but nobody's coming here for the wine program alone.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Wayne · Latin / New American
Proximo isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the list is priced fairly, the picks are coherent, and the Torrontés alone is worth a detour. Send a friend here with confidence — just steer them away from the Black Stallion.
Crowd Pleasers
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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