Spain Meets Sonoma, and It Works
Healdsburg · Sonoma · Spanish tapas · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 26, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Bravas Bar de Tapas’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Bravas, the wine list reads like someone actually thought hard about the concept — Spanish regions anchoring one side, Sonoma locals filling the other. It's not a massive list, but it has a point of view, which is more than most tapas spots in Wine Country bother with. The price range keeps things accessible enough that you're not sweating over a second bottle.
The list runs 40 to 60 labels with a clear dual identity: Spanish heavyweights like Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and Cava share real estate with Sonoma Coast Pinot, Dry Creek Grenache, and Russian River Valley whites. The Granbazán Etiqueta Verde Albariño is a smart anchor — it's a recognizable, quality-driven Rías Baixas label that fits the tapas format perfectly. Leo Steen's Provisor Vineyard Grenache from Dry Creek is the kind of hyper-local, small-producer pick that signals someone actually curated this list rather than just calling a distributor. Gaps exist — there's not much depth in Priorat or Galicia beyond the Albariño, and aged bottles are hard to find — but for a lively tapas bar, the list earns its keep.
Ten to fourteen options by the glass is genuinely solid for a casual tapas spot, and the range covers the bases: Cava for bubbles, Albariño for whites, and a Sonoma rosé that bridges both worlds on the list. Prices run $10 to $16 a glass, which in Healdsburg Wine Country is practically a bargain — you can work through three pours and still feel like you weren't taken to the cleaners. Rotation doesn't appear to be a major program here, so don't expect anything surprising to show up mid-season.
Granbazán 'Etiqueta Verde' Albariño, Rías Baixas 2023 — $13/glass
At $13 a glass for a proper Rías Baixas Albariño — bright, saline, with actual substance — this is the move the moment you sit down. Retail on Granbazán runs around $20 a bottle, so you're not getting gouged, and it's the right wine for the food.
Leo Steen 'Provisor Vineyard' Grenache, Dry Creek Valley 2021
Most people at a Spanish tapas bar default to Tempranillo and never look up. That's a mistake here. Leo Steen is a small, obsessive Sonoma producer, and his Dry Creek Grenache is the kind of textured, food-friendly red that outperforms its price tag and makes total sense against charcuterie and olives.
Rioja Crianza Tempranillo
At $56 a bottle for something retailing around $24, you're paying a 133% markup on the most predictable wine on a Spanish restaurant list. The Tempranillo is fine — it's just not interesting, and there are better uses of that $56 here.
Juvé y Camps Cava Brut Rosé, Penedès NV + Paella
A dry, food-driven Cava Brut Rosé cuts through the saffron-rich richness of the paella without fighting it, and the bubbles keep each bite feeling fresh. Juvé y Camps is a serious Penedès producer — this isn't grocery store fizz — and at $12 a glass it's the most fun you can have while a pan of rice arrives at your table.
The Bottom Line
Bravas is a Wild Card in the best sense: a casual, loud, share-everything tapas bar in the middle of Sonoma Wine Country that actually built a wine list with a brain. It won't blow your mind, but it will keep your glass interesting all night without emptying your wallet.
· Sonoma · California and Mediterranean
Sante is doing more with its wine list than the average hotel restaurant bothers to — 120 labels anchored in Northern California producers, 25 by-the-glass options with real range, and picks like Failla Sonoma Coast Pinot and Denner Nightshade that signal genuine curation. The steep markup at the top end is real, and the lack of any structured specials program means you're paying full freight every time — but if you order thoughtfully, there's genuinely good wine to be found here.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Proper
· Sonoma · French bistro
Bistro Ralph is exactly what a wine-country neighborhood bistro should be: unpretentious, locally rooted, and honest about what it is. We can't call out specific bottles from what's available, but the Sonoma-forward identity and relaxed room make this a solid stop for a glass or two alongside the chicken paillard or pot de crème. Come for the setting, stay for the wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · California and Mediterranean
Sunflower Caffe isn't trying to compete with the big resort wine lists down the road, and that's exactly why it works. The list is small, local, fairly priced, and built around bubbles — which, in Sonoma, is actually a smart and honest choice. If you want a deep cellar or a Burgundy rabbit hole, go elsewhere; if you want a glass of Scribe Nouveau Pinot Noir on what is presumably a lovely patio, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · California and New American
Sonoma Valley Farmhouse runs a tight, thoughtful list that punches above its size. The all-by-the-glass format and fair pricing make it easy to drink well without a game plan, and the producer selection — Bedrock, Lasseter, Talisman, Albini — reflects someone who actually cares about what ends up in your glass. If you're in Sonoma and want to drink local without getting gouged, this is a genuinely solid stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · Food Truck / New American
The Fig Rig is the kind of place that should not have a wine list this good, and that's exactly what makes it worth seeking out. Fair prices, genuine range, and a clear Rhône-forward point of view — if you're in Sonoma and skeptical of the usual tourist-trap markups, this is where we'd send you first.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · French and California
Cafe La Haye has assembled a 63-bottle list that punches well above its count — thoughtful French-California crossover, honest pricing on most of the list, and enough unusual picks (Gaudron Chenin Blanc, Pangloss White Rhone, grower Champagne from Pierre Paillard) to suggest real curation rather than default distributor choices. If you're in Sonoma and want a wine list that respects both the region and your intelligence, this is a reliable stop — with enough Wild Card energy to keep it interesting.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Center Street / Downtown · Healdsburg · Spanish tapas
Bravas is a Wild Card in the best way — a lively tapas spot in the heart of Healdsburg wine country that actually leans into Spanish wine instead of defaulting to Cabernet and Chardonnay. The list is short but earns its keep, and the Sherry and Txakolina pours alone justify a stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Toco Hills · Atlanta · Spanish tapas
Silla Del Toro is the Wild Card of Atlanta's tapas scene — not because it's perfect, but because it's trying harder than it has to, and mostly getting it right. If you're anywhere near Toco Hills, order the Albariño, order the Tempranillo Blanco, and eat something salty.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Loop · Minneapolis · Spanish tapas
Barcelona Wine Bar is doing something genuinely ambitious for the North Loop — 500 bottles, 40 by the glass, and a geographic focus that actually matches the food. Send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation; just don't expect the staff to geek out alongside you.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
