Tequila Town With a Decent Wine Backup
Downtown Tempe / Tempe Marketplace · Tempe · Modern Mexican · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 30, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Blanco Cocina + Cantina’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Blanco is clearly the opening act, not the headliner — tequila and mezcal run this room and everyone knows it. That said, the list is short, legible, and doesn't try to be something it isn't. You scan it in about 45 seconds and move on with your life.
Twenty to thirty-five bottles, California-heavy, with some Argentina and Spain tossed in for geographic credibility. The producers here are grocery store regulars — Coppola, Kim Crawford, Meiomi — functional crowd-pleasers that no one is excited about but nobody actively complains about either. There's no real depth to explore, no interesting regional outliers, and no evidence that anyone curated this with particular intention. If you came hoping to find a Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero or a Malbec from a serious Mendoza producer, adjust expectations now.
Eight to twelve pours in the $10–$16 range keeps things accessible without being impressive. The rotation appears static — this is a set-and-forget program, not one that's swapping in seasonal finds or experimenting with anything outside the mainstream. For the price point and setting, it's fine; just don't expect anything that'll make you put your margarita down.
Coppola Rosso & Bianco — $32
At the lower end of the bottle range, the Coppola Rosso is a reliable California red that drinks easy alongside anything off the grill. Not exciting, but at $32 it's the least-bad value play on a list that skews steep for what you're getting.
Spanish Red (Spain Region Selection)
The Spain bottles on this list tend to get ignored in favor of California standbys, but a Spanish red — likely a Garnacha or Tempranillo-based pour — is going to handle the spice and richness of the Mexican kitchen better than Meiomi ever will. Worth asking what they've got from that region before defaulting to the usual.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
You're paying restaurant markup on a mass-market Pinot that retails for $15 at Total Wine. It's sweet, it's soft, and it's everywhere — there's no reason to spend $40-plus on it here when a margarita does more for the food and costs about the same.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc + Chicken Tinga Tacos
The bright citrus and grassy snap of Kim Crawford cuts through the smoky chipotle in the Tinga without fighting it. It's not a revelatory pairing, but it's the most coherent match on a list that doesn't give you a lot of precision tools to work with.
The Bottom Line
Blanco is a tequila bar that serves wine as a courtesy, and the list reflects exactly that level of commitment. Come for the cocktails and the Short Rib Machaca Enchiladas — if you want wine, order the bottle with the lowest markup and don't overthink it.
· Tempe · New American
Terra Tempe's wine list is the restaurant equivalent of a reliable sedan — gets you where you're going, no drama, reasonable fuel costs. If you're looking for adventure, you won't find it here; if you just want a decent bottle with dinner at a fair price, you're in good hands.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Tempe · Mediterranean / Wine Bar
Salut Kitchen Bar isn't going to make a wine lover's heart race, but it's a perfectly decent place to drink something approachable with Mediterranean food without getting gouged or lectured. Stick to the Naia Verdejo or Yalumba Rosé and you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Tempe · Italian
Vincitorio's has put in real work on this list — 155 labels and 60 by-the-glass options is a serious commitment. It's not a destination wine program, but it's a genuinely solid one that earns your trust more often than it loses it.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Elliot Road · Tempe · Sports Bar / American
Vine Tavern is a sports bar first and a wine destination never — the seven-bottle list exists as a checkbox, not a commitment. Order a beer, order a cocktail, or bring your wine expectations somewhere else entirely.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Tempe · Tempe · American / Neighborhood Bistro
The Hudson is a fine place to eat a burger and drink a beer, but the wine list is on autopilot — familiar labels, steep markups outside of Wednesday's deal, and no evidence that anyone on staff is losing sleep over it. Send a friend here for the food, tell them to drink a cocktail.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Novus / ASU Campus District · Tempe · American Burger & Craft Bar
Eureka! Tempe is a craft beer bar first, a burger spot second, and a wine destination never. Order a local draft, enjoy your Truffle Cheese Fries, and save the wine for a place that's actually trying.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Park Place · Irvine · Modern Mexican
Puesto is a fun spot, but the wine list is essentially decorative — five Baja bottles isn't a program, it's a placeholder. Order a mezcal cocktail and revisit this decision when they decide to take wine seriously.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Modern Mexican
Alma Mexicana is a genuine wild card — a modern Mexican restaurant in Winston-Salem with a wine program that's quietly pointing at Old World Europe instead of the expected California house pour. We need the full list to give you the real numbers, but the instinct here is good enough to warrant ordering something other than a margarita.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
· Naperville · Modern Mexican
Quiubo's wine list is short, safe, and priced reasonably enough that it won't ruin your night — but it won't add anything to it either. Stick to the Juan Gil or the Cava, enjoy your tacos, and don't come here expecting the wine to be part of the experience.
Crowd Pleasers
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.
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