Cerulean
Ambitious Indy list that plays it honest
Downtown · Indianapolis · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 22, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walking into Cerulean, the wine list signals that someone here actually gives a damn. It's not trying to show off — it's trying to get you into something good without emptying your wallet, which in downtown Indianapolis is rarer than it should be. The Old World lean is evident right away, and that alone earns some goodwill.
Selection Deep Dive
The list runs 80-plus selections with genuine range across France, Italy, Germany, and the American West Coast — no single region hogging the spotlight. You'll find Pascal Jolivet's Loire Sauvignon Blanc sitting comfortably next to C.H. Berres Riesling from the Mosel and Domaine Anderson Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley, which is a solid cross-section for a tasting menu-focused restaurant. There are gaps — South America and Spain are thin or absent based on what's visible — but what's here is curated with intention. A sommelier on staff shows, and the list doesn't feel like it was assembled by a distributor rep on autopilot.
By the Glass
The by-the-glass program is where Cerulean really earns its stripes. With an estimated 12-20 pours, there's enough range to build a proper glass-by-glass progression through a tasting menu without repeating yourself. The pricing on pours — $9 to $14 across the board — is genuinely fair for the quality of producers represented, and that's not a sentence we get to write very often.
Pascal Jolivet Sauvignon Blanc — $9
Nine dollars for Pascal Jolivet's Sancerre-adjacent Sauvignon Blanc is a legitimate steal. This is a producer who commands real respect in the Loire and the glass price makes it almost unreasonable not to order it.
C.H. Berres Riesling
Most tables in Indianapolis are going to walk right past a Mosel Riesling and order the Pinot Grigio. Don't be those people. C.H. Berres is a respected Mosel estate and at $11 a glass, this is the kind of wine that quietly makes your whole dinner better.
Domaine Anderson Pinot Noir
At $28 a glass it's the priciest pour on the list and while Domaine Anderson is solid Anderson Valley fruit, you're paying a meaningful premium for the prestige factor. The Four Graces Pinot Noir at $10 a glass scratches a very similar itch for a fraction of the price.
Andrea Faccio Villa Giada Barbera d'Asti + Seasonal small plates
Barbera's natural high acidity and low tannin make it a workhorse pairing through multiple courses of the chef's seasonal small plates — it doesn't fight the food, it just keeps things moving. At $12 a glass it's also one of the best-priced Italian pours you'll find in this city.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Cerulean is exactly what a serious restaurant in a mid-sized American city should be doing with wine — real producers, fair pours, a sommelier who actually knows the list. Send your friends here, especially if they're doing the tasting menu.
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