A Cheese Shop That Actually Gets Wine
Shirlington · Arlington · Cheese bar / Wine bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 19, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cheesetique – Shirlington’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walking into Cheesetique, you expect the wine list to be an afterthought — a few safe bottles propped up next to the Gruyère. Instead, you get a genuinely curated 23-label list that clearly had someone with taste making decisions. It's compact, yes, but it earns its square footage.
The list punches above its size by covering real ground: Lini910 Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna, a Drouhin Mâcon-Villages, Failla Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, and a Bonpas Châteauneuf-du-Pape all on the same menu is not something you stumble into by accident. There are a few filler picks — the Stella Pinot Grigio has no business being here — but they're outnumbered by genuinely interesting choices. The white wine section is the strongest leg of the list, with solid Old World representation from Sancerre, White Bordeaux, and Albariño alongside New World options that don't embarrass themselves. Reds are slimmer but cover the bases: a Willamette Pinot, a Super Tuscan, a Côtes du Rhône, and the obligatory Cab.
Twenty-two of twenty-three bottles are available by the glass, which is essentially the whole list — a genuinely generous pour program that makes this a legitimate spot for exploration. Glass prices run $12–$33, which keeps casual Tuesday-night experimentation accessible without feeling like a trap. Rotation appears limited; this reads more like a seasonal-refresh list than one that changes constantly, so don't expect a surprise every visit.
Lini910 Lambrusco Rosso — $42
Lambrusco at this price point from one of the category's benchmark producers is a straight-up win. It's food-friendly, fizzy, and genuinely fun — exactly what you want when you're working through a cheese board. Most people walk past it without a second look, which is their loss.
Château Le Prieur White Bordeaux
White Bordeaux is one of the most underrated categories in the store, and at $49 this is a quiet overachiever on a list that trends toward the obvious whites. Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc blends have texture and weight that generic Sauv Blancs can't touch, and nobody at the table is going to have seen it coming.
Bonpas Châteauneuf-du-Pape
At $98 it's the most expensive bottle on the list, and Bonpas is a négociant label — not a domaine bottling that justifies that ceiling. You're paying for the appellation name more than what's in the glass. The Failla Pinot at $69 is a far better use of your dinner budget.
Failla Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir + A curated cheese board with aged selections
Failla's Sonoma Coast Pinot has the acidity and red-fruit brightness to cut through rich, funky aged cheeses without bullying them off the board. It's the kind of wine that makes everything taste better without announcing itself — exactly what you need when the cheese is the star.
The Bottom Line
Cheesetique shouldn't have a wine list this good, and that's exactly why it's worth your time. Come for the cheese, stay because the Lambrusco and the White Bordeaux gave you no reason to leave.
Arlington · Arlington · Wine Bar
Screwtop is doing something genuinely unusual in the DC suburbs: a deep, eclectic by-the-glass list priced fairly and organized with actual personality. If you want to drink something you've never tried before in a low-pressure setting, this is exactly the place to send a friend.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Arlington · Champagne Bar / Dessert
Beauty is a focused, unpretentious bubbles destination that punches above its novelty premise — the list is curated with real intent, the by-the-glass program is generous, and the prices don't punish you for showing up. If you've never thought to make a champagne bar your wine destination, this is a good place to rethink that.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Shirlington · Arlington · American Brasserie
Carlyle won't change your relationship with wine, but it won't ruin it either — and on Tuesday, when everything on the bottle list is half off, it briefly becomes one of the better deals in Shirlington. Come for the prime rib, order the Jordan, and call it a good night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Westover · Arlington · Turkish and Mediterranean
Maya Bistro isn't a wine destination, but Monday half-price bottles and legitimately interesting Turkish pours make it a Wild Card worth knowing about. Come for the pide, stay for the Angora — just don't touch the Oyster Bay.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Ballston · Arlington · New England–inspired seafood & raw bar
Salt Line Ballston isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the list is smarter and more purposeful than most seafood spots in this price range. Send a friend here for oysters and Muscadet and they'll thank you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
National Landing / Pentagon City · Arlington · Southern & Korean-influenced American
Succotash Prime's wine list is exactly what you'd expect from a polished upscale Southern spot in a hotel-adjacent dining corridor — safe, recognizable, and priced for expense accounts. We'd send a friend here for a reliable night out, not a wine destination.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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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