Organic-focused gem hiding in coastal New Hampshire
Waterfront · Portsmouth · French-inspired bistro / wine bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Black Trumpet’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 Trumpet, you get the sense that someone actually thought about this list — it's not the usual steakhouse greatest hits. The organic and biodynamic focus signals intention, not trend-chasing, and for Portsmouth that's genuinely rare.
The list runs around 30-50 labels and leans hard into sustainable producers across international regions, which is a smart editorial choice even if it means sacrificing depth in any single area. You'll find bottles that require a little curiosity from the diner, which we respect. That said, with the Caparzo Brunello at $120 and Honig Napa Cab at $130, the bottle pricing tilts toward the steeper end — especially without retail anchors to confirm the value. Sea Smoke Chardonnay at $160 is the kind of pick that signals ambition, but also the kind of price that stings when you're already dropping $40 on an entrée.
Twelve by-the-glass options is a solid number for a bistro of this size, and the Maison Aguila Crémant de Limoux NV at $14 a glass gives you a real entry point into something interesting. We'd love to see more rotation through the BTG list, but what's here skews toward thoughtful producers rather than bulk pours.
Maison Aguila Crémant de Limoux NV — $14/glass · $55/bottle
A bottle of proper French bubbly from a sustainable producer for $14 a glass is a genuinely fair pour. Order it as your aperitif, consider ordering a second.
Maison Aguila Crémant de Limoux NV
Most people at a bistro skip straight to the reds or reach for Champagne. The Crémant de Limoux sits in that underappreciated middle ground — same method, fraction of the ego, and here it's priced to actually drink.
Sea Smoke Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills 2021
At $160, you're paying a significant premium for a wine you can find at retail for considerably less. Sea Smoke is great, but not great enough at that markup to justify it when there are more interesting bottles on this list.
Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino 2018 + Duck or braised meat entrée
A Brunello of this caliber needs something with weight and depth — a well-executed braise or duck preparation at a French-leaning bistro gives the Sangiovese's acidity and structure something to push against. Worth the splurge if you're going all-in on a special occasion dinner.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Black Trumpet is doing something genuinely worth supporting — a curated, sustainability-minded list in a city that mostly doesn't bother. The markups on the bigger bottles keep it from being a destination wine experience, but the Crémant alone might be worth the trip to Ceres Street.
Market Street · Portsmouth · Italian
Dolce Vita is a reliable neighborhood wine bar with enough Italian depth to satisfy anyone who came to drink well with their dinner. The markups on the California heavy-hitters are a soft deterrent, but lean Italian and you'll leave happy.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Portsmouth · French patisserie, crêperie, and wine bar
La Maison Navarre is a genuine Wild Card — a French patisserie and crêperie in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, that actually bothered to build a coherent, France-only wine list to match. It's not deep, it's not adventurous, but it's honest and well-matched to what's on the plate, and that's more than most places manage.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West End · Portsmouth · Global Street Food / Eclectic American
STREET is a genuinely fun, globe-trotting neighborhood spot that deserves a wine list as curious as its food — instead it has six grocery-store staples marked up steep and left on autopilot. Order a cocktail, enjoy the Bibimbap, and don't overthink the wine.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Portsmouth · Modern Mexican
Vida Cantina is a genuinely fun spot for food and cocktails, but the wine list is on autopilot — overpriced California standards with no imagination and no connection to the kitchen. Order a mezcal cocktail, grab the Vinho Verde if you insist on wine, and don't come here expecting anything more.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Portsmouth · Bar / Rooftop
Come for the rooftop, stay for the vibe — but don't come for the wine. The Wednesday half-price bottle deal is the one reason to order a bottle, and even then, temper your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Portsmouth · American Grill
Skip the Gas Light on any night but Wednesday — half off all bottles turns a steep list into a genuinely solid deal and makes this a legitimate downtown Portsmouth option. The rest of the week, order a beer.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
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