Texas Pride Poured Into Every Glass
Southwest Fort Worth · Fort Worth · Southwestern · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 28, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Four hundred-plus labels at a Texas fine dining spot feels like a statement, and Bonnell's is making one loud and clear. The list doesn't just pad its numbers with safe California cabs — it actually leans into its Texas identity in a way that feels earned, not gimmicky. This is a wine program that someone clearly cares about.
California anchors the list with serious names like Stag's Leap, Groth, and Frank Family covering the Napa corridor with real depth. But the Texas section is where Bonnell's separates itself — Becker Vineyards and Messina Hof represent the Hill Country with genuine pride, and it's refreshing to see them given the same real estate as Napa heavyweights. If you've written off Texas wine, this list will make you reconsider at least once. The range accommodates a $40 weeknight bottle and a splurge-worthy cellar pull without feeling scattered.
Twenty to thirty options by the glass is generous, especially at this price point, and the selection tracks well with the broader list rather than dumping the bottom shelf into the pour program. With a sommelier on staff, the glass pours actually get rotated with some intention — you're not staring at the same twelve wines every visit.
Becker Vineyards (Texas) — $12
Texas Hill Country wine at a fine dining restaurant that actually takes it seriously — this is the move if you want to drink local without settling. Becker punches above its price and the staff here knows it.
Messina Hof (Texas)
Most tables here are going straight for the Napa bottles, which means the Messina Hof pours quietly underappreciated. Texas wine skeptics who try it usually end up surprised — and the price gap between this and its California neighbors on the list makes the gamble worth it.
Frank Family Vineyards Chardonnay
Frank Family is solid Napa Chardonnay, but it's also everywhere — and restaurant markup on a recognizable name like this eats into the value fast. You can do better on this list for the same money.
Groth Cabernet Sauvignon + 16oz Ribeye
Groth Cab is built for exactly this moment — a serious Napa red with the structure and dark fruit to stand up to a thick, well-marbled ribeye without either one bullying the other. Classic combination, done right.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Bonnell's runs one of the most thoughtful wine programs in Fort Worth — big enough to get lost in, focused enough to actually navigate, and staffed by people who can help you do both. If you're eating wild game or a serious steak in Texas, this is where you want to be drinking.
Fort Worth · Fort Worth · Chinese
Teddy Wongs is the kind of place that shouldn't work on paper — dumplings, Fort Worth, Wine Spectator award — and yet here we are. If you let the list guide you toward Alsace or Texas instead of defaulting to the California crowd-pleasers, you'll eat and drink extremely well for the money.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West 7th · Fort Worth · Mexican, Steakhouse
Don Artemio is doing something genuinely unusual in Texas steakhouse territory: building a wine list around Mexican producers that deserve serious attention, backed by a sommelier who knows the material. If you care at all about wine, skip the Napa defaults and let Adrian point you toward Baja — you won't regret it.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Fort Worth · Fort Worth · American
Grace is the real deal — a Fort Worth restaurant that has built and maintained a wine program worthy of the city's best table. The markups run steep and the list plays it safer than adventurous, but when the caliber is this high and the service is this dialed in, we're still sending every wine-serious friend through the door.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Fort Worth · Fort Worth · Italian
61 Osteria earned its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence and then some — this is the most serious Italian wine list in Fort Worth by a significant margin. Markups aren't shy, but the depth of selection and the knowledge on the floor justify the room.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Fort Worth · Fort Worth · Mexican
Buena Vida's wine list isn't going to win any awards, but Wednesday's 50% off bottle deal turns a steep, pedestrian selection into a genuinely fun night out. Come for the tacos, drink on a Wednesday, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Fort Worth · Fort Worth · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Fort Worth is exactly what it advertises: a reliable, well-run steakhouse wine list that will not surprise you, disappoint you, or make you think too hard. Order the Gruet, skip the Dom, and let the ribeye be the star of the evening.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
Downtown · New Haven · Southwestern
Geronimo is first and foremost a tequila bar, and you should absolutely drink tequila here. But if you want wine, the list is smart enough to reward you — especially if you order the Albariño and skip the obvious stuff.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Southwestern
Coyote's isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but the pricing is fair, the Wednesday deal is genuinely excellent, and there's nothing actively wrong here. Show up on a Wednesday, order a bottle of Pinot Grigio for $19.50, and focus on the burrito.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Plano · Plano · Southwestern
Blue Mesa Grill is worth a visit for the food, but the wine list is an afterthought — nine grocery-store bottles and a happy hour to make them feel less sad. Order a margarita and save your wine budget for somewhere that earned it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.