Solid Sips for Taco Night Downtown
Downtown / Broadway · Saratoga Springs · Mexican / Southwestern · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cantina’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Cantina is short — 13 labels short — but it's priced and positioned for the margarita crowd that probably isn't here for a deep Burgundy dive anyway. At $12 a glass across the board, there's a flat-rate simplicity that's either refreshing or lazy depending on your mood. It reads like someone checked a box rather than built a program.
The list leans California and Italy with a few interesting detours: a Keuka Springs Riesling from New York's Finger Lakes adds some local pride, and the Hornillos Ballesteros Mibal Tempranillo from Spain is a name you don't see on many taco menus. The Altos Las Hormigas Malbec is a reliable Argentine workhorse that actually fits the cuisine. That said, there's no depth here — no aged options, no grower producers, no surprises from Mexico itself, which feels like a missed opportunity for a restaurant flying a Mexican flag.
Eleven of the thirteen labels are available by the glass, which is genuinely impressive for a list this size — essentially the whole thing is pourable. Quality is entry-level across the board, but the Raimat Albariño and the Keuka Springs Riesling give you something slightly more interesting than the Primary Wines defaults. Rotation doesn't appear to be a thing here; this list looks like it's been sitting still for a while.
Keuka Springs Riesling 2024, New York — $12/glass
Finger Lakes Riesling at the same flat $12 price as the commodity California stuff is a quiet win. It's got the acid and a touch of fruit that cuts through spicy food better than most things on this list.
Hornillos Ballesteros Mibal Tempranillo 2024, Spain
Nobody ordering tacos is reaching for a Spanish Tempranillo, but they should be. It's earthy and food-friendly in a way the California Cabernet simply isn't, and it's flying under the radar on a list where Malbec usually gets all the red wine attention.
Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Reserve, France
At $75 a bottle, you're paying a hefty premium for a supermarket Champagne that retails around $25. If you want bubbles, grab a cocktail instead — this is the one bottle on the list where the markup is genuinely hard to justify.
Raimat Albariño 2024, Spain + Guacamole
Albariño's bright citrus and saline edge are made for anything with lime and avocado. It cuts the fat, echoes the citrus in the guac, and keeps the palate fresh between chips. Easy call.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Cantina's wine list won't win any awards, but it won't ruin your dinner either — and with almost everything available by the glass, you can explore without committing. Stick to the Albariño or the Finger Lakes Riesling, skip the Champagne, and save your serious wine night for somewhere else.
Downtown · Saratoga Springs · Tuscan Italian
Forno Bistro isn't a destination wine list, but it's a fair and functional one that respects your wallet — especially on Mondays when half-price bottles make a $30 Chianti feel like a genuine gift. Send your friends here for a fun dinner; just don't send the ones who want to talk about terroir.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Side / Route 50 Area · Saratoga Springs · Wine Bar and Bistro
If you're in Saratoga and want an honest, unpretentious look at what the Finger Lakes can do, Thirsty Owl earns the stop — especially on the patio in the warmer months. Just go in knowing this is a winery showcase, not a global wine bar, and you'll leave happy.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Side / Route 29 · Saratoga Springs · Winery with American Fare / Wood-Fired Pizza
The Saratoga Winery is a legitimate Wild Card: a single-producer list of cold-hardy New York grapes served in an Adirondack tasting room with live music and wood-fired pizza. It's not a destination for serious wine exploration, but it's a genuinely fun, low-stakes way to drink something you've never tried before.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
Downtown · Saratoga Springs · Upscale New American
15 Church has the bones of a genuinely good wine program — the range is there, the interesting picks exist — but the pricing is aggressive enough that you'll spend more time doing mental math than enjoying your glass. Stick to the Old World bottles and avoid anything with a recognizable California label.
Solid Range
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Race Course / Union Avenue · Saratoga Springs · American, trackside dining
Come for the races, stay for the atmosphere, but don't come here for the wine. If you need something in a glass to toast a winner, grab the Champagne and leave it at that.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Maple Avenue · Saratoga Springs · Jazz Bar / Cocktail Bar
Come to Nine Maple Avenue for the live jazz, the whiskey program, and the atmosphere — the wine list is a placeholder, not a reason to visit. If you're committed to ordering wine, grab the Château D'Esclans Rosé and enjoy the music.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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