Four Hundred Whiskeys, Twelve Forgettable Wines
Downtown Ocala · Ocala · Southern, Barbecue · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 12, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walk in and you immediately understand what this place is about — 400+ whiskeys climbing the wall, folk art on every surface, blues on the speakers. The wine list feels like it was added as an afterthought, a single laminated page tucked behind the cocktail menu. Nobody came here for the Clos du Bois.
Twelve to twenty bottles, and it reads like the wine section at a gas station that's trying its best. Canyon Road and Clos du Bois anchor the California side, Oyster Bay covers New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc duty, and a Mas Fi Cava and Riff Pinot Grigio round out the international presence. There's no depth, no discovery, no producer that will make you lean in. J. Lohr Cabernet is the one name here that clears the bar, and even that's a workhorse, not a thoroughbred. Gaps are everywhere — no Rosé worth talking about, no red with any real character, zero interesting Italian beyond a basic Pinot Grigio.
Nine pours by the glass, ranging from $8 to $11, which is hard to complain about on price. The problem is what you're getting: Canyon Road Chardonnay, Rickshaw Pinot Noir, and a Prosecco that exists to fill a bullet point. These are wines you tolerate, not wines you order a second glass of.
J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon — $38
It's the one bottle on this list with any backbone. At $38, you're not getting gouged, and it can actually stand up to the beef brisket without getting steamrolled. Relative to everything else here, it's the clear move.
Mas Fi Cava
Nobody at a Southern BBQ joint orders Cava, which is exactly why you should. It's bright, it cuts through smoke and fat like a knife, and it's probably the most food-friendly thing on the entire list. Order it before the ribs arrive.
Canyon Road Chardonnay
This is a $7 grocery store bottle. Even at $8-$11 by the glass, you're overpaying for oak extract and apple juice. Get a whiskey instead — that's what this place actually does.
Mas Fi Cava + Beef Brisket
The bubbles and acidity in the Cava do the work that would take a much bigger red to accomplish — they cut through the fat in the brisket and reset your palate between bites. It's an unconventional call that actually makes sense.
❌ The Bottom Line
Brick City is a great whiskey bar that happens to have a wine list, and those are very different things. If wine is your priority, send your friend here for the brisket and the bourbon and let the wine list go.
SR 200 / Southwest Ocala · Ocala · Thai
Royal Orchid makes solid Thai food, and you should absolutely go — just order a Thai iced tea or a beer and pretend the wine list doesn't exist. If someone at your table insists on wine, point them to the Riesling and move on.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SR 200 / Southwest Ocala · Ocala · Italian
Carrabba's Ocala isn't a wine destination and doesn't pretend to be — but Wine Wednesday (call ahead to confirm it's still running at this location) can turn a steep markup into a reasonable deal. Come for the Chicken Bryan, drink the Riesling, skip the Caymus.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Ocala · Ocala · Charcuterie and Tapas
The Keep is doing something genuinely different for downtown Ocala — a rotating mead program, thoughtful wine picks, and markups that actually respect the customer. If you're in the area and care about what's in your glass, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
South Ocala · Ocala · American Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse is a great place to eat a steak and throw peanut shells on the floor — we respect the chaos. But the wine list is purely functional at best and an afterthought at worst, so come here for the food and the fun, not the Cabernet.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
World Equestrian Center · Ocala · Seafood
Juno & The Peacock shouldn't be this interesting, and that's the whole point — a seafood restaurant inside an Ocala equestrian complex with Chacra Patagonian Chardonnay and Eyrie Pinot Blanc is a genuine surprise. Markups lean steep and the format feels set-it-and-forget-it, but the underlying list has real taste behind it.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
World Equestrian Center · Ocala · American
The Polo Pony is a reliable pour for the horse show crowd — familiar bottles, fair enough execution, and enough range to keep a table happy. We wouldn't drive to Ocala for the wine list, but if you're already at the World Equestrian Center, you'll drink just fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
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.