Old-school steakhouse flex, serious wine backbone
Burlington · Burlington · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Cafe Escadrille, the wine list lands like a confident handshake — 400 to 600 bottles deep, anchored hard in California and France, with serious names up and down the page. This is a list built for the kind of dinner where someone orders the Filet and means business. It's a classic American steakhouse program done right, and Wine Spectator has been handing it a Best of Award of Excellence since 2017 for good reason.
The California section is the real engine here — Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, Opus One, and Stag's Leap Cask 23 all show up, which tells you this list was built to satisfy a clientele that knows what they want and wants the greatest hits done well. France holds its own too, with Chateau Margaux and Louis Jadot Burgundy anchoring the old-world side alongside Chateau Montelena on the white end. Far Niente Chardonnay and Duckhorn Merlot fill out the mid-range California options for guests who aren't ready to drop Opus money. The list doesn't chase trends — no natural wine rabbit holes or obscure Georgian imports — but within its lane it's thorough and well-curated.
Twenty to thirty-five by-the-glass options is a legitimately strong program for a Burlington, Massachusetts dining room, and it means you can explore the list without committing to a bottle. We'd push staff on what's pouring fresh and what's been open since the weekend — rotation details are unclear, and that matters when you're talking about quality pours at this level.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $45–$75
Jordan consistently overdelivers for the price in this tier — elegant, food-friendly, and a genuine alternative to the hype bottles sitting next to it. At a restaurant that skews steep on markup, Jordan is where the math works in your favor.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay
Everyone in the room is staring at the Cabernets, and Montelena just sits there quietly being one of the most historically important Chardonnays in the country. The 1976 Paris Tasting called; this wine won it. Order it while the table debates steaks.
Opus One
Opus One is a trophy pour and priced like one — markups at restaurants like this push it well past the point where you're tasting wine and into the territory where you're mostly tasting the label. The wine is fine. The value is not.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23 + Filet Mignon
Cask 23 is built for exactly this moment — structured but silky, with the kind of dark fruit and restrained tannin that doesn't fight a perfectly cooked filet, it completes it. This is the pairing the list was designed around.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Cafe Escadrille is a proper, old-guard wine list doing exactly what it set out to do — give serious diners serious California and French bottles to drink with serious food. No sommelier on staff and steep markups keep it from being flawless, but the depth and pedigree here are real.
Waterfront · Burlington · Craft Brewery with Bar Snacks
Foam is a brewery first, but the wine program punches way above its weight class — it's small, local, and priced like they actually want you to drink it. If you're on Burlington's waterfront and want something interesting in your glass that isn't a hazy IPA, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American with Vegan Options
The Daily Planet isn't a wine destination, but it has the instincts of one — a thoughtful natural wine pick, Monday half-price bottles, and fair pricing in a casual room that doesn't take itself too seriously. Send a friend here on a Monday and tell them to ask about the orange wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American Bistro
The Gryphon is a reliable neighborhood bistro with a wine list that matches its ambitions exactly: familiar, functional, and forgettable. Come for the burgers and brick walls, but don't expect the wine to be the highlight of your night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · Neapolitan wood-fired pizza and Italian cuisine
Pizzeria Verità isn't trying to be a wine destination and it doesn't need to be — it's a smart, Italy-focused list with honest markups and a few genuinely interesting bottles tucked in among the crowd-pleasers. Go for the pizza, order the Nebbiolo or the Cirò, and leave happy.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Church Street Marketplace · Burlington · Upscale American Steakhouse
EB Strong's has a wine list that does the job well and occasionally surprises you — especially if you look past the Caymus and dig into the European picks. Wednesday's half-price bottle program makes it one of the better wine-value nights in Burlington, full stop.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Burlington · Seasonal New American, farm-to-table
Hen of the Wood Burlington is the rare restaurant where the wine list is as considered as the food, and that's saying something when the kitchen is this good. If you're driving through Vermont and care about what's in your glass, this is worth a reservation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Southwest / Time Corners · Fort Wayne · American
Catablu is exactly what it needs to be for its neighborhood — a reliable, thoughtfully maintained list that won't embarrass you on a date night or bore you entirely. It's not a destination wine list, but it's a solid supporting act for a kitchen that clearly takes food seriously.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Otay Ranch Town Center · Chula Vista · American
BJ's is a fine place to drink a craft beer and eat a Pizookie. It is not a place to drink wine. Order a Brewhouse Blonde, skip the wine list entirely, and save your wine night for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SanTan Village · Gilbert · American
The Cheesecake Factory is a perfectly fine place to eat — the wine list just isn't a reason to go. Order a cocktail, split a bottle of Santa Margherita if you must, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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