Kingston's Cozy Jewel Box Punches Above Its Weight
· Kingston · Wine bar, small plates · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Brunette Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Brunette, you immediately sense that someone here actually cares — the room is tight, warm, and styled with intention, and the wine list reflects the same energy. This isn't a list built to impress corporate accounts; it's built to be drunk. France and Germany anchor the program, which tells you right away that the person behind this list has a point of view.
The focus on France and Germany is a deliberate editorial statement, not a gap in imagination — you're in the hands of someone who knows what they like and has stocked accordingly. Don't expect a sprawling global tour; expect a compact, considered list where every bottle earns its spot. The Old World lean means you'll find more minerality, restraint, and food-friendliness than you would at a place chasing big California scores. The flip side is that if you came in hoping for a Chilean Carménère or an Australian Shiraz, you're going to be mildly disappointed — but honestly, you probably shouldn't have.
By-the-glass specifics aren't publicly documented in enough detail to call individual pours, but the overall program suggests a thoughtful, rotating selection that matches the kitchen's small-plate format. Given the intimate scale and Old World focus, we'd expect the glass list to be tight — maybe six to ten options — rather than a wall of choices. That's usually a sign of confidence, not laziness.
The Bottom Line
Brunette is exactly the kind of neighborhood wine bar that mid-size cities desperately need — small, smart, and staffed by people who can actually talk to you about what's in the glass. The France-and-Germany backbone, the jewel-box intimacy, and the knowledgeable staff make this a genuinely worthwhile stop in Kingston, especially if you're pairing a pour with the baked oysters or working through the charcuterie. We'd send a friend here without hesitation.
· Kingston · Mexican Grill
Los Jalapenos isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that abundantly clear. At $7 a glass across the board the pricing is hard to argue with, but when you don't know what producer you're drinking, cheap doesn't feel like a win — it just feels anonymous. Order a margarita and save the wine night for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kingston · Bottle shop
Kingston Wine Co. is not trying to be everything to everyone — it stocks twenty bottles of stuff its buyers actually believe in, prices them honestly, and trusts you to figure out the rest. If you're in the Hudson Valley and you care about what's in your glass, this is a mandatory stop. Walk in, pick up the Leclair Gamay and the Tenuta Sella, and thank us later.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kingston · American Diner
Boulevard Diner is almost certainly a perfectly fine place to eat a stack of pancakes or a club sandwich. The wine list, however, is an afterthought — six anonymous varietals with no pricing, no producers, and no personality. Order the coffee.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kingston · Pan-Asian small plates, cocktail bar
Lone Wolf is first and foremost a cocktail bar, and it earned its local recognition on that front. But if the German-leaning wine program delivers on the promise of the concept — tight, thoughtful, food-friendly — it's a genuinely exciting pairing for a pan-Asian menu that could eat cocktail lists alive. We want to see the full card before calling it a Rager; for now, it's a Wild Card worth your curiosity.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Route 28/Thruway Corridor · Kingston · Steakhouse
This is a chain wine list doing exactly what chain wine lists do: minimum effort, maximum familiarity, corporate pricing. Order the steak, grab a beer, or spring for the Chateau Ste. Michelle if you need something in a glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Route 28/Thruway Corridor · Kingston · Chain American Grill
You're not coming to Ruby Tuesday Kingston for the wine, and the list knows it. But if you show up on a Wednesday and grab a half-price bottle with dinner, it's hard to complain too loudly.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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