Livermore's coolest surprise pours wine too
· Livermore · Cocktail Bar / New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 5, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Black Cat Bar & Grill’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walking into Black Cat, you're immediately hit by the vinyl-spins-and-dim-lighting energy of a place that clearly cares more about the room than the list — and that's not entirely a bad thing. The wine program here reads as a supporting act, not the headliner, but it's a supporting act that actually shows up. For a cocktail-forward neighborhood bar on First Street, the fact that there's a California-and-France focus rather than a random grab-bag of mass-market labels tells you someone made a few intentional choices.
The list leans into California and French wines, which is a logical pairing for a spot sitting in the middle of the Livermore Valley — wine country that doesn't always get its due. We don't have the full list in hand, but the regional anchoring suggests they're not just running Kendall-Jackson and calling it a day. The selection skews small, which at a place like this is probably a feature rather than a bug: a tight, rotating list beats a bloated one that hasn't been touched since 2019. Gaps likely exist in depth — don't come expecting a deep Burgundy bench or an esoteric orange wine moment — but the bones seem right for what this place is.
Glass pour options are unconfirmed in detail, but given the bar-forward format and price points in the $15–$25 entree range, expect a handful of by-the-glass options rather than an extensive flight program. A Thursday no-corkage wine night when you order a small plate is genuinely cool and worth knowing about — that's a real perk for anyone who wants to bring a bottle from one of the local Livermore producers down the road.
Thursday — No corkage fee on wine when ordering a small plate on Thursday nights. Sunday features Cycle Sunday with happy hour pricing for cyclists.
The Bottom Line
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.
Downtown Livermore · Livermore · Greek & Mediterranean
Demitri's isn't a destination wine bar, but it's doing something genuine — pairing Greek imports with award-winning local Livermore producers in a setting that actually makes the wine feel connected to what's on your plate. Send a friend here if they think Livermore is just suburban sprawl; the wine list will surprise them.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Livermore · Livermore · Italian, Seafood, Grill
Strizzi's isn't a wine destination, but it does right by its neighborhood with local Livermore pours at fair prices. Send your friend here if they want a solid Italian dinner with a decent glass — just point them toward the Cab Franc.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Livermore · Livermore · Mexican
Blue Agave Club is first and foremost a tequila destination, but the wine list earns its place by betting on local Livermore producers and sneaking in a wild card or two. If you're eating here and skipping the wine entirely, you're missing a cheap way to drink well in wine country.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Livermore / Airport Area · Livermore · Hotel Bar
If you are already staying here and do not feel like driving, the Caposaldo Prosecco or Mirabelle will get the job done without too much damage. But this is Livermore — there are actual wine destinations within ten minutes that make this lobby bar look like it is not even trying.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Livermore / Airport Area · Livermore · Hotel Restaurant
If you're staying at the hotel and can't make it out to an actual Livermore Valley winery, show up on Wine Wednesday, grab a half-price bottle, and keep your expectations calibrated accordingly. For anything resembling a real wine experience, get in the car.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
North Livermore / Airport Area · Livermore · Hotel Bistro
You're sitting in one of California's most storied wine valleys and drinking Australian grocery-store blends at hotel markup — that's the whole story. Grab a glass of Decoy if you must, then go find an actual Livermore Valley tasting room.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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