Wood-fired food, genuinely weird wine in the best way
Downtown · Bellingham · New American / Wood-Fired Seasonal · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Carnal’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Seventeen labels isn't a lot, but you stop counting when you clock a Georgian orange wine and a Slovenian sparkling Malvasia on the same list as a Washington Cab. This isn't a list that happened by accident — someone at Carnal is paying attention. It earns its real estate.
The list leans hard into small, family-owned and organic producers, and it shows in the picks: Battenfield-Spanier's Grüner-Sylvaner from Rheinhessen, Michel Guignier's Chardonnay from Burgundy, Achilée Pinot Noir from Alsace — these aren't names you stumble onto at a steakhouse. There's a loose but coherent logic here: wines with texture and character that can stand up to char and smoke. The regional spread is genuinely global — Spain, Germany, France, Georgia, Slovenia, Chile, Oregon, Washington — impressive for a list this compact. The one gap is depth within regions; if you want a second Burgundy or a backup natural red, you're out of luck.
Seven pours across the price range of $12–$15 is a solid by-the-glass program for a restaurant this size. The glass list appears to reflect the bottle list's adventurous spirit rather than defaulting to safe, generic crowd-pleasers. We'd love to see more rotation to keep regulars guessing, but what's here is a cut above the usual suspects.
Naveran Cava (2020), Penedès, Spain — $36
Quality Cava from a serious producer at the low end of the bottle list. Drink this with the wood-fired small plates and feel very smart about your life choices.
Dilo-O Katsiteli-Mtsvane Orange (2021), Kakheti, Georgia
Most tables at a New American restaurant are going to default to Chardonnay or Pinot. Don't. This Georgian orange wine has the grip and oxidative character to actually match the intensity of wood-fire cooking — it's the most interesting thing on the list and most people will walk right past it.
Upchurch Cabernet Sauvignon (2020), Red Mountain, Washington
Upchurch is a well-regarded Red Mountain producer, but Cab at a wood-fired seasonal spot feels like a missed swing — the list's strength is its weird, textured stuff. You're also likely paying a premium for a name that reads safe. Order anything else.
Villalobos Carignan (2017), Colchagua Valley, Chile + Wood-fired seasonal small plates
Old-vine Carignan has enough acidity and rustic edge to cut through char and fat without steamrolling whatever seasonal ingredient is anchoring the plate. It's a red that actually respects the food.
The Bottom Line
Carnal is doing something genuinely rare in Bellingham: a tight, adventurous wine list that matches the ambition of the kitchen. It's not deep, but it's honest — and for a 17-bottle list, that's more than enough reason to trust it.
· Bellingham · Wine Bar / American
Fireside punches above its weight for a short list — thoughtful producers, real variety, and a vibe that matches the wine. We'd send a friend here without hesitation for a low-key wine night in Bellingham.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bellingham · Wine Bar
Bin 13 is punching above its weight for Bellingham — a thoughtful short list with fair pricing on the everyday tier and a couple of trophy bottles for the occasion drinker. The gap in the mid-range is the one thing holding it back from being truly great.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bellingham · Italian Wine Bar
Bar Cicotti proves you don't need a 200-bottle list to have a great wine program — you just need to care about what you're pouring. For Bellingham, this is the kind of place worth going out of your way for.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bellingham · Nautical-themed American contemporary / comfort food
The Admiralty Lounge isn't a wine destination, but it's doing more with a short list than most bars in its class — half-price bottles at happy hour and actual Sherry on the menu are the kind of moves that earn goodwill. Come for the cocktails, stay for the Fino.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Bellingham · Seafood / Oyster Bar
Roe isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the list is fair, the pricing is reasonable, and if you know to order the Riesling, you're eating and drinking well on the water. Send a friend here for oysters; just don't send them expecting a deep cellar.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lummi Island (regional destination) · Bellingham · Fine Dining / Farm-to-Table
The Willows Inn is as serious about wine as it is about the 14 ingredients it sourced from within a mile of your table. You're paying destination prices across the board, but the list delivers at that level — this is a once-in-a-while splurge that earns it.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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