Saint Louis's Best Wine List Hiding in Plain Sight
Saint Louis · St. Louis · American · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Blood & Sand, you immediately sense this is not a restaurant where the wine list was an afterthought. The parlor-dark atmosphere sets expectations high, and the list — 200-plus bottles deep with a named sommelier behind it — delivers. Wine Spectator has handed them a Best of Award of Excellence every year since 2022, and one look at the lineup tells you why.
California, Washington, and Italy are the three pillars here, and each one is built with real intention. On the California side you've got Ridge Monte Bello and Stag's Leap Cask 23 sharing space with Kosta Browne Pinot Noir and Caymus Cab — a range that covers the collector and the casual drinker alike. The Italian corner punches hardest: Antinori Tignanello and Gaja Barbaresco on the same list in Saint Louis is a genuine flex. Washington gets its due with K Vintners Syrah and Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling rounding out a Pacific Northwest chapter that most Midwest restaurants completely ignore. There are gaps — the Southern Hemisphere is pretty quiet and Burgundy lovers may want more — but the depth where it counts is hard to argue with.
Twenty to thirty pours by the glass at $12–$18 is a genuinely good program for a city where most restaurants consider six options a full list. The range tracks the bottle list well, meaning you can get a real taste of what Washington or California has to offer without committing to a full bottle. We'd love to see the rotation turn more frequently, but what's here is well above average.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $12
At the low end of the by-the-glass range, Ste. Michelle's Riesling is one of the most reliably food-friendly wines on the planet. It's the smart order at a restaurant with serious kitchen chops, and it won't hurt the wallet.
K Vintners Syrah
Most people at this table are reaching for the Caymus or the Kosta Browne. Let them. K Vintners from Walla Walla makes some of the most serious Syrah in the country — structured, savory, and built to last — and it flies under the radar every single time.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is fine wine, but it's also the most marked-up, most over-ordered Cabernet in America. When a list has Ridge Monte Bello and Stag's Leap Cask 23 available, ordering the Caymus is like driving past the steakhouse to eat at Applebee's. Save it for someone else's expense account.
Antinori Tignanello + Dry-aged ribeye
Tignanello is Sangiovese and Cabernet doing something bigger than either could manage alone — dark fruit, firm tannins, and enough acidity to cut through the fat on a properly dry-aged ribeye. This is the pairing you'd regret not ordering.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Blood & Sand is the kind of wine list that makes you proud of a city — serious without being stuffy, deep without being overwhelming, and guided by a sommelier who clearly cares. If you're passing through Saint Louis, this is the reason to make a reservation.
Clayton · St. Louis · Upscale American pub fare with English and French influences
801 Local has put in real work on this list — more work than most suburban pubs bother with — but the markup on recognizable bottles undercuts the goodwill. Come for the Vietti and the Frank Family; leave The Prisoner for someone else's table.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Grand Center · St. Louis · Italian
Vito's earns its Sicilian stripes in the kitchen, but the wine list is an afterthought — overpriced grocery brands with zero connection to the cuisine they're supposed to accompany. Order a beer or a soft drink, save the wine for a place that cares.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Town and Country · St. Louis · Italian
Napoli 2 is a reliable, if pricey, wine experience for fans of Italian classics and California comfort pours — just know you're paying a Town and Country premium for the privilege. Send your friends here for the Barolo and the bubbles, and steer them away from the Caymus.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Clayton · St. Louis · Italian
Café Napoli is a dependable destination for Italian wine in Clayton — just go in with eyes open on the pricing and steer hard toward the Italian side of the list. The California section is a trap and the markups on crowd-pleasers are rough, but the underlying Italian bones are solid enough to make this worth your time.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Clayton · St. Louis · American, European
Herbie's isn't going to blow any wine nerd's mind, but it delivers a well-curated, fairly priced list that genuinely supports a great meal. If you're in Clayton and ordering the Beef Wellington, you're in good hands.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Clayton · St. Louis · Italian
Casa Don Alfonso is the rare Italian restaurant that backs up its Amalfi aesthetic with a wine list serious enough to match. If Italy is your thing — or you want it to become your thing — this is worth the trip to Clayton.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
CityPlace · West Palm Beach · American
RH Rooftop is a great place to drink wine you already know in a room that photographs extremely well — just don't come expecting to discover anything. If you're a guest who wants reliability and a gorgeous sunset view, this delivers; if you're chasing depth or value, this list isn't going to find you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Northwood / near downtown · West Palm Beach · American
Table 26 punches above its neighborhood weight with a list that has real ambition and a happy hour program that's one of the best deals in South Florida. The markup on the trophy tier is aggressive, but if you drink smart — and especially if you show up before 6 PM — this place absolutely delivers.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
South End / near The Breakers · West Palm Beach · American
Henry's isn't a wine destination, but it's not pretending to be one either — the list is familiar, the markups are fairer than you'd expect from a Breakers property, and the flight program gives you a reason to explore. Send your friends here for dinner without worrying they'll get gouged on wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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