Café Hollander - Madison

You're here for the moules frites and a Belgian tripel, and that's completely fine — but the wine list doesn't embarrass itself either. At 15 bottles topping out at $48, this is a list priced for real people, not expense accounts. It's short, approachable, and makes no apologies for what it is.

The list covers the greatest hits of the crowd-pleaser playbook: Whitehaven Sauv Blanc from New Zealand, Altos Malbec from Mendoza, Muriel Reserva from Rioja, Cline Cab from California. Nothing here is going to make a wine nerd's heart race, but nothing is an outright embarrassment either. Spain and Italy get token representation, France shows up in the bubbles department with Gratien & Meyer Crémant, and Luxembourg sneaks in via Domaine Vinsmoselle Rosé — which is either the most random or most Belgian-appropriate call on the whole list. There are real gaps: no Pinot Noir of consequence, no Rhône, no serious Italian reds — but for a gastropub where beer is the main event, this does its job.

All 15 bottles are available by the glass, ranging from $9 to $12 — which is genuinely reasonable for Madison in 2024. The glass program is the whole program; there's no reserve list lurking behind the scenes. Rotation appears nonexistent, but at these prices, you're not paying to be surprised.