Sparkling-Forward and Rosé-Ready in Atlanta
· Atlanta · Contemporary American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 26, 2026
RagingWine reviewed By George’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at By George reads like someone built it specifically for a Saturday brunch crowd — heavy on bubbles, rosé, and crowd-friendly whites. That's not a knock, exactly, but if you showed up hoping to find a Grower Champagne or an interesting Burgundy, you're going to have a rough time. Sixty-four labels sounds promising until you realize a meaningful chunk of that real estate is Whispering Angel and Mionetto.
The list is organized into intuitive categories — Sparkling, Rosé, Fresh/Crisp Whites, Richer Whites — which makes navigation easy, but the selections within those buckets rarely surprise. The sparkling section has some range: Henri Maire's Crémant de Jura 'Jurassique' is a genuine standout among a sea of Prosecco and entry-level Champagne, while Krug Grand Cuvée sits at the top end for the table that wants to show off. Rosé gets the most attention and shows the most depth, with Domaine Lafond's Tavel and Domaine de Figueirasse from Languedoc-Roussillon offering real Southern French character alongside the obligatory Whispering Angel. The whites are where the list loses steam — you're largely looking at commercial Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand and California, with Dr. Loosen's Dr. L Riesling being the one producer worth seeking out.
By-the-glass specifics aren't published, so we can't confirm what's actually pouring by the stem on any given night. Given the list's composition, expect the usual suspects — Mionetto, Whispering Angel, and probably a Sauvignon Blanc — to anchor the program. If staff is cycling glass pours without clear communication, ask directly before defaulting to a bottle.
Henri Maire Crémant de Jura 'Jurassique' — null
Crémant de Jura is consistently one of the best value sparkling categories in the world, and Henri Maire's 'Jurassique' delivers real complexity — biscuity, a little nutty, genuinely interesting — at a fraction of what you'd pay for a comparable Champagne. On a list dominated by Prosecco and entry Champagne, this is the smart play at the bubbles end.
Domaine Lafond Les Queyrades Tavel Rosé 2021
Tavel is the only French AOC dedicated exclusively to rosé, and Domaine Lafond makes a serious, food-driven version — fuller-bodied and more structured than the pink-and-pretty crowd pleasers surrounding it. Most tables will reach for the Angel without blinking, and that's exactly why you shouldn't.
Krug Grand Cuvée Brut
Krug is exceptional wine — nobody's arguing that — but ordering it here, where there's no indication the storage conditions are optimized or that staff can speak to its provenance, is a gamble that doesn't pay off. At restaurant markup on a prestige Champagne, you're almost certainly overpaying for the privilege of having it poured in a room that isn't built for it.
Domaine De Figueirasse Languedoc-Roussillon Rosé 2021 + Charcuterie or any composed starter with cured meats
Languedoc rosés tend to carry more savory weight than their Provence counterparts — a little more grip, a little more Mediterranean herb character — which makes them ideal against fatty, salty cured meats. It's a better match than the reflexive Whispering Angel grab, and it's the kind of pairing a smart friend would steer you toward.
The Bottom Line
By George is a fine place to drink wine if you know what you're walking into — a curated-but-safe list built for a stylish crowd that wants rosé and bubbles without friction. Come for the Crémant and the Tavel; don't expect to find anything that'll make you rethink your relationship with wine.
· Atlanta · New American / Tasting Menu
Choose your courses, then choose your glasses. Bacchanalia's posted pairings give you concrete options: Carl Loewen Riesling at $24 with crab, or Ca' La Bionda Ripasso at $27 with duck. Ask which suggestions match tonight's menu before committing to the wine bill.
Midtown · Atlanta · Southern European
Start with the $14 Vostinic-Klasnic Ikons if you want to explore beyond familiar grapes, or the $16 chilled La Galoche Gamay if that's your lane. Lyla Lila's posted glass list makes trying something different a one-glass decision, not a whole-bottle commitment.
· Atlanta · New American
Siren has a wine list that punches above its weight in a few key areas — particularly the by-the-glass whites and the Champagne bottle program — but the markup structure means you're spending real money to access it. If you're the kind of diner who wants to order Furmint on a Tuesday night in Atlanta, this is one of the few places that makes that possible, and that alone earns it a spot on the shortlist.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Regional Italian
Make Monday your bottle night at Indaco: half off bottles priced up to $100, then $50 off above that. Ask for the current bottle list before choosing; the discount has a ceiling, even if your wine budget doesn't.
Atlanta · Atlanta · Vietnamese
NAM Kitchen is doing something genuinely unexpected: running a thoughtful, fairly priced 68-label wine list inside a Vietnamese restaurant, anchored by a strong sparkling section and some legitimately food-smart white wine choices. If you're the kind of person who wants a real glass of wine with your bún bò Huế, this is worth knowing about.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
Il Premio is a steakhouse that took its wine list seriously enough to skip the obvious plays, and the result is one of the more interesting Italian-focused lists in Atlanta right now. It's compact, priced fairly across the board, and built for exploration — whether you're going glass by glass through the Italian regions or just need a solid bottle of Chianti Classico at $72 to make a steak dinner feel right. We'd send a friend here specifically for the wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Evanston · Contemporary American
Chef's Station earns its Reliable badge the honest way: a sommelier who cares, a list with actual regional perspective, and a room where drinking something good feels like the obvious move. It's not a destination wine list, but it's a trustworthy one.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Beaver Creek Plaza · Vail · Contemporary American
Golden Eagle Inn is the kind of reliable mountain wine list that won't embarrass you on a date or a client dinner, but it'll charge you for the altitude at every turn. The Brunello and the Bouchard Beaune are genuine bright spots — find those, skip the Veuve, and you'll have a good night.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail Village · Vail · Contemporary American
Sweet Basil is the best wine list in Vail by a wide margin — 400 bottles, a real Cruvinet program, and a sommelier who put actual thought into the selections. The markups sting, but that's mountain dining; the quality justifies the trip.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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
