Downtown Cincinnati's quiet European wine obsession
Downtown · Cincinnati · Wood-Fired American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 28, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You walk into a wood-fired restaurant in downtown Cincinnati expecting a California-heavy crowd-pleaser list and instead find Crémant d'Alsace, Anjou Blanc, and a Grüner from Wagram staring back at you. It's a genuine surprise. Whoever built this list was paying attention.
The list leans hard into France — Alsace, Loire, Burgundy, Champagne, Anjou — with a nod to Tuscany and an Austrian detour via OTT's Grüner Veltliner from Wagram. These aren't grocery store names: Vilmart & Cie Premier Cru, Tenuta Carleone Chianti Classico, and Pierre-Vincent Girardin's Vieilles Vignes Bourgogne Blanc all signal a curator who's done real homework. California makes an appearance but feels like an afterthought on what is otherwise a committed old-world roster. The one gap is depth — this list reads like it's curated to a tight, rotating selection rather than a deep cellar.
Eighteen by-the-glass options is a strong number, and the range here actually earns that count — you're not getting 18 versions of Chardonnay and Cabernet. Prices run $17 to $36 a glass, which is honest for the quality tier but will add up fast if you're pouring through dinner. No obvious rotation program, which is a missed opportunity on a list this interesting.
2024 Grüner Veltliner, Am Berg, OTT, Wagram, Austria — $17/glass
OTT is a respected Austrian producer and Wagram Grüner at the low end of this glass list is punching well above its price point — crisp, food-friendly, and the kind of wine most tables will walk right past.
2023 Anjou Blanc, Zersilles, Château de Plaisance, Anjou, France
Château de Plaisance is a serious biodynamic Loire producer and Anjou Blanc is one of the most underrated appellations in France. This is the kind of bottle that makes wine nerds light up and everyone else go 'wait, what is this?'
MV Vilmart & Cie, Grand Cellier, Premier Cru, Champagne, France
Vilmart is genuinely excellent Champagne, but at bottle prices landing north of $100 on a list with no half-price program and no noted cellar credentials, you're paying a steep restaurant premium for bubbles you could source elsewhere for considerably less.
2022 Chianti Classico, Tenuta Carleone, Tuscany, Italy + Wood-fired proteins
Tenuta Carleone's Chianti Classico has the acid and structure to cut through char and fat — Sangiovese and wood smoke are a combination that's been working for centuries, and this producer isn't here to mess with that formula.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Boca is doing something genuinely interesting with wine in a city that doesn't always demand it — the list is tight but thoughtful, and the by-the-glass program alone is worth a detour. Bring your appetite for both food and discovery, just keep an eye on the check.
Downtown · Cincinnati · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Cincinnati is a reliable, well-stocked steakhouse list that delivers exactly what it promises — big California reds, proper storage, and a bottle for every budget above $50. Just don't come expecting discovery; come expecting execution.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Over-the-Rhine · Cincinnati · Tapas / Mediterranean-inspired small plates
Abigail Street is a Wild Card because nobody walks into a tapas spot in OTR expecting Lebanese orange wines and Champagne from Bollinger — but here we are. The markup math on the tap program stings, but the top half of this list is doing real work and earns a recommendation.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North / Kenwood area · Cincinnati · New American / Grill & Wine Bar
Seasons 52 Cincinnati is a chain wine program that punches above its weight class on volume and actually tries — Monday half-price bottles are a legitimate reason to show up on a specific night. Just go in knowing this is a crowd-pleaser list, not a discovery list, and you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Mason · Cincinnati · West Coast–style American (brunch-focused cafe)
Maplewood Mason isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the list is fair, accessible, and has just enough personality (Stolpman, Jezebel Blanc) to keep it from being totally forgettable. If you're here for brunch, grab a glass and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hyde Park · Cincinnati · Italian (housemade pasta, wood-fired pizza)
Forno Hyde Park is a reliable neighborhood wine program that doesn't embarrass itself — solid Italian range, reasonable glass pours, and a Wood-Down Wednesday deal that genuinely changes the math on the better bottles. The markups on everyday bottles are hard to ignore, but if you time it right and order smart, there's a real dinner here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Newport (Greater Cincinnati Riverfront) · Cincinnati · Seafood
Chart House delivers exactly what it promises: a reliable, unadventurous wine list in a spectacular waterfront setting. Come for the view and the lobster bisque — just don't expect the wine list to match the scenery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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