250 Bottles Deep in a Pub Body
Thames Street · Newport · American pub fare and seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Brick Alley Pub & Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You walk into a lively Newport pub expecting a dozen wines and a bucket of Bud Light, and instead get handed a list north of 250 labels. It's genuinely surprising — the kind of list that makes you do a double-take in the best way. The vibe is loud and casual, but the wine program is quietly trying to be something more.
The list leans hard on California and France with a solid Italian thread running through it — think Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 2018 sitting next to Caymus and Whispering Angel like they all belong at the same beach house party. There's real range here: Sager & Verdier Sancerre, Frog's Leap Rutherford Cab, Shafer One Point Five — these aren't filler picks, someone curated this with intention. That said, the depth skews toward crowd-pleasing heavyweights rather than anything adventurous or off the beaten path. If you want a Grüner or a Jura Chardonnay, you're at the wrong pub.
The by-the-glass program includes approachable options like Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay and J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet, both at $38 — serviceable but not exciting. Splits (187ml) start at $9, which is a smart move for a casual lunch crowd who just wants a taste without committing to a bottle. Don't expect weekly rotation or a curated pour list; what's on the menu is what's on the menu.
Roederer Estate Brut NV Anderson Valley — $59
Roederer Estate is consistently one of the best non-Champagne bubbles on the market — made by the same house behind Cristal, this Anderson Valley sparkler punches well above its price point. At $59 in a Newport pub, that's as fair as it gets on this list.
Frog's Leap Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 2019
Everyone goes straight for Caymus or Faust, but Frog's Leap is the smarter Rutherford Cab on this list — organically farmed, more restrained and food-friendly, and consistently underordered because it doesn't have the brand recognition. Skip the crowd and grab this one.
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Champagne NV
At $100, you're paying a significant premium for a label that retails around $55-60 — nearly a 2x markup on a bottle that's already priced for the brand, not the quality. The Roederer Estate is right there at $59 and frankly drinks just as well in this setting.
Sager & Verdier Sancerre 2022 + Seafood pasta
Sancerre's bright acidity and grassy citrus cut right through butter and cream, and its mineral backbone plays off whatever's coming out of the Newport waters. It's a classic Loire-meets-the-coast move that works every time.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Brick Alley is a pub that accidentally built a respectable wine program — 250 labels in a nachos-and-seafood-pasta joint is genuinely commendable. Markups keep it from being great, but if you know where to look on this list, you can drink well on Thames Street.
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Small but Thoughtful
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Basic Stemmed
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Small but Thoughtful
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Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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Solid Range
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Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
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Acceptable
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