Portsmouth's cozy cellar punches way above weight
Downtown · Portsmouth · Spanish-inspired tapas and wine bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 24, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Cava Tapas & Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
A wine bar tucked into a commercial alley in Portsmouth, New Hampshire is not where you'd expect to find Produttori del Barbaresco and Château Musar on the same list — but here we are. The cellar-like vibe sets the tone immediately: this place takes wine seriously, even if the pricing occasionally forgets that you do too. It's intimate enough that you'd better like the people you're with.
Fifty-five labels with genuine range across Spain, Italy, France, Oregon, and California is legitimately impressive for a small-market tapas spot. The Spanish spine is strong — Aalto from Ribera del Duero, Alto Moncayo's 'Veraton' Grenache, Muga's 'El Andén', and a Bordon Gran Reserva from 2011 that has no business being on a list this size. Italy gets a nod via Produttori del Barbaresco's entry-level Nebbiolo, and the New World slots (Au Bon Climat, Les Brebis Willamette Pinot) are chosen with actual taste rather than just brand recognition. The gaps are minor — more Portuguese depth and a natural wine or two would round this out nicely.
The by-the-glass program is the real flex here: all 55 bottles are available by the glass, which is either a brilliant commitment or a logistical nightmare depending on nightly volume and how carefully they're managing open bottles. The glass price range of $11–$25 means you can explore without committing, and with producers like Gramona 'Imperial' Cava and Musar 'Levantine' available by the pour, the upside is real. Just ask when a bottle was opened.
Bordon Gran Reserva Tempranillo Rioja 2011 — $36–$46 (bottle estimate based on range)
A Gran Reserva with over a decade of age on it, from a reliable Rioja house — if this is sitting at the lower end of their bottle range, it's the best deal on the list. Traditional, earthy, and ready to drink right now with minimal markup for what's in the glass.
Musar 'Levantine' Tempranillo/Cinsault/Cabernet 2021
Most people walk past anything labeled 'Levantine' without a second look, which is their loss. This is Château Musar's approachable tier — Lebanese wine from one of the most historically interesting producers on earth, with a grape blend that makes zero geographic sense and tastes completely right. Order it and watch your table conversation shift.
Scattered Peaks Cabernet Napa Valley 2021
At the top of their price range, a Napa Cab in a Spanish tapas bar is a square peg in a round hole — and Napa Cab markups are notoriously brutal. With Aalto Tempranillo and Alto Moncayo Grenache on the same list, there's no reason to go this direction.
Alto Moncayo 'Veraton' Grenache 2020 + Patatas Bravas
Alto Moncayo's Grenache from Aragón is big, dark-fruited, and has enough warmth to meet the smoky paprika heat in patatas bravas head-on. It's also a conversation starter — Campo de Borja is not a region most people have on their radar, and this bottle will change that.
The Bottom Line
Cava is a genuine find in a market where most wine lists top out at Meiomi and Malbec. The markup stings a bit, but the list has real ambition and the setting earns it — send your wine-curious friends here and tell them to work the Spanish section.
· Portsmouth · Upscale New American
Salt Kitchen & Bar has the bones of a resort wine list built to move recognizable bottles at comfortable margins — not to educate, excite, or reward the curious drinker. If you're staying at Wentworth by the Sea and want a glass of wine with dinner, you'll find something drinkable here, but we wouldn't plan a night around the list. Order the Red Newt Riesling, tip your server well, and save the wine exploration for somewhere that's actually trying.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Seafood & American
The Oar House wine list is a workmanlike effort — short, safe, and priced fairly for what it is. If you're coming for the seafood and want a glass of Albariño or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc to go with it, you'll be well served. Just don't come here expecting to be wowed by the wine program.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Portsmouth · New American / Tapas-Style
Moxy earns its Wild Card badge not because we can confirm every pour, but because the bones of the wine program — an intentional regional focus, a menu built for wine-friendly snacking, and a room that draws people back — suggest genuine effort. If you're in Portsmouth and want something more interesting than a safe Napa Cab next to your tapas, this is worth the reservation. Come in curious, ask the staff what they're excited about, and let the list surprise you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Japanese / Sushi
Nichinan's wine list is short but earns its keep — the presence of Pieropan, Grüner Veltliner, and Henri Bourgeois Sancerre tells you someone on staff understands that sushi and Chardonnay is not the only answer. Markups are fair across the board, and the by-the-glass selection is wide enough to keep the table happy without forcing a bottle. If you're in Portsmouth and want something better than the default wine-at-a-sushi-restaurant experience, this delivers.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Italian-American
The Rosa isn't trying to reinvent the wine list — it's trying to serve its room well, and largely succeeds. Twenty-five by-the-glass options with Italian producers mixed alongside California staples makes this one of the more thoughtful pours in Portsmouth. If you're after wine-bar ambition, look elsewhere; if you want a reliable glass with your gnocchi without any drama, The Rosa delivers.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Steakhouse
The Library Restaurant is a Wine Spectator award holder that plays it very, very safe — heavy California Chardonnay, a prestige Champagne tower, and markups that favor the house. If you're here for a special occasion and want to pop a Pol Roger at $125 or a Veuve at $155, it's a fine room for that. But if you're hoping to find something unexpected or feel like the wine program is working hard for you, this list isn't going to surprise you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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