Speakeasy Vibes, Surprisingly Serious Wine Game
Downtown · Raleigh · Cocktail Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 17, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You walk into C. Grace expecting a cocktail-forward Prohibition fantasy — dim lights, jazz, a bartender who knows what a Sazerac is — and you get exactly that. What you don't expect is a wine list with 18 by-the-glass options and a Karthäuserhof Riesling sitting next to a Tua Rita Super Tuscan. This place is hiding a real wine program behind all the speakeasy theater.
The list punches well above its weight for a cocktail bar. You've got Old World depth — a Grüner Veltliner from Lower Austria, Sancerre from Julie Et Patrick Noel, a Malbec from Cahors rather than the obligatory Mendoza — alongside credible New World picks like the Duckhorn Napa Chardonnay and the Decoy Limited Cab from Alexander Valley. The Quinta Da Mariposa from Dão, Portugal is the kind of left-field pick that tells you someone with some actual curiosity built this list. Gaps show up in the direction of Italy — the two Pinot Grigios feel redundant — and there's no real sparkling depth beyond the La Marca and a Cava. But for a jazz bar in Raleigh, this is genuinely impressive range.
Eighteen by-the-glass options is a serious number for any restaurant, let alone a cocktail lounge. The selection spans sparkling, white, rosé, and red with enough variety that you won't be stuck choosing between Chardonnay and Cab. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority here — this reads more like a standing list than something that changes seasonally — but the breadth makes up for the lack of movement.
Grüner Veltliner Zum Martin 'SEPP', Lower Austria, 2022 — null
A Grüner from a proper Austrian producer in a cocktail bar is already a win. Crisp, peppery, and food-friendly — or in this case, cocktail-friendly. This is the kind of bottle that costs a fraction of the Duckhorn Chard and delivers more personality. If the pour price is reasonable, this is the easy call at the white wine end of the menu.
Domaine Du Theron Malbec, Cahors Cuvée Prestige
Everyone orders Argentine Malbec on autopilot. This Cahors comes from the actual birthplace of Malbec, where it's called Côt and it's darker, earthier, and more structured than anything coming out of Mendoza. Most people at a cocktail bar will walk right past it. Don't.
Rombauer Vineyards Chardonnay, Napa Valley
Rombauer is a perfectly fine bottle — buttery, reliable, crowd-pleasing — but it's also one of the most marked-up labels in the American restaurant industry. You're almost certainly paying a premium here for a wine you could find at any steakhouse in the country. With a Duckhorn Chard and a Crossbarn already on the list, there's no reason to go here.
Bouvet Brut Rosé, Loire Valley, France + French 75
Yes, pairing a wine with a cocktail is a bit unorthodox — but at C. Grace, the French 75 is the signature drink, and if you're doing a half-and-half kind of evening, opening with a glass of the Bouvet Brut Rosé sets the same elegant, effervescent tone before you shift into gin-and-Champagne territory. Both are Loire-adjacent in spirit and they're the most cohesive one-two punch on the menu.
🎲 The Bottom Line
C. Grace is a cocktail bar first, but whoever built this wine list wasn't phoning it in — the Cahors Malbec and Austrian Grüner alone prove that. Markup is the catch, as it usually is in atmosphere-heavy venues, but if you're here for the jazz and the ambiance, a glass of something genuinely interesting is absolutely on the table.
Glenwood South · Raleigh · Mediterranean
Vidrio isn't trying to reinvent wine lists, and it doesn't need to — solid French selections, fair pricing, and a by-the-glass program that actually gives you options make this a dependable wine destination in Raleigh. Send a friend here and they won't come back disappointed.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Raleigh · Raleigh · American, Seafood
The Players Retreat is the Wild Card because nobody walks in expecting a legitimate wine program at a beloved Raleigh neighborhood bar — and yet, here we are. Matt Fern keeps things credible, the California and French anchors are well-chosen, and as long as you steer past the grocery-store staples, you're drinking better than the room suggests.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Raleigh · Raleigh · Italian
Cucciolo Terrazza is a genuine surprise in Raleigh's dining scene — a neighborhood Italian with a wine list that earns its Wine Spectator badge and actually makes you want to explore beyond the first familiar name you recognize. Send your friends here and tell them to skip the Napa Cab.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Brier Creek · Raleigh · Indian
Azitra is doing something genuinely unusual — running a Wine Spectator-caliber list at an upscale Indian restaurant in Raleigh — and largely pulling it off. The Wednesday half-price program alone makes it worth putting in your rotation; the Bollinger and the Drouhin make it worth telling your friends about.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Unknown · Raleigh · Pizza
Ruckus Pizza is a solid spot for a casual pizza night — just don't come for the wine. Order a beer or a cocktail, or grab a bottle from the shop next door if they'll let you bring it in.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Apex · Raleigh · Winery (BYOF or charcuterie)
Cloer is a Wild Card in the best sense: it's a real working vineyard producing honest North Carolina wine at fair prices, and the vibe alone is worth the trip out of Raleigh. Bring food, bring friends, and give the Muscadine a real shot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Mill Avenue · Tempe · Cocktail Bar
Filthy Animal is the last place you'd expect to find a real wine list, which is precisely what makes it a Wild Card — the selection punches above the bar's party-school energy, and if you know what to order, you can drink well while everyone else is doing kamikazes. Just don't come here for the value; come for the vibe and the pleasant surprise.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Center Square · Albany · Cocktail Bar
The Roosevelt isn't trying to be a wine bar, and it's better for knowing that. The list is short, fair, and stocked with names worth ordering — which is more than most cocktail spots in Albany can claim.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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