A Winery Built for People Who Don't Own a Vineyard
Eastwood Towne Center / Northeast Lansing · Lansing · Contemporary American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant – Lansing’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walk in and the concept hits you immediately — part restaurant, part tasting room, part wine club headquarters. The list is almost entirely Cooper's Hawk's own label, which is either refreshing or limiting depending on your mood. It reads less like a wine list and more like a brand catalog, but at least it's a well-stocked one.
The 40-plus bottle lineup spans from a Blanc de Blanc and Prosecco (Veneto) on the sparkling end, through a wide range of whites including an Abrillante from Rueda and a Gewürztraminer, into a red roster that checks most mainstream boxes — Petite Sirah, Old Vine Zinfandel, a Super Tuscan, a Shiraz from Barossa, and even a Tempranillo from Rioja. The international sourcing adds a little intrigue to what is otherwise a thoroughly approachable, crowd-facing portfolio. Don't come looking for grower Champagne or anything remotely obscure — this is a list designed to not lose anyone, not to challenge them. The Lux tier (Lux Cabernet, Lux Meritage, Lux Sparkling) functions as the top shelf and adds some genuine ambition to what could otherwise feel too easy.
Roughly 30 wines available by the glass is genuinely impressive in volume — most restaurants offer a fraction of that. Prices run $10.25 to $16.25 a glass, which is reasonable given the Lansing market and the quality level on offer. The glass program is effectively the entire list, which means you can graze widely without committing to a bottle.
Cooper's Hawk Unoaked Chardonnay — $10
At roughly $10 a glass, you're getting a clean, food-friendly white that skips the oak-bomb routine most casual diners assume Chardonnay requires. Against the $21 retail price, the by-the-glass math works — especially if you only want one or two pours.
Abrillante (Rueda, Spain)
Nobody comes to a chain winery-restaurant and orders a Verdejo from Rueda, which is exactly why you should. It's the one wine on the list that signals someone in this organization has genuine curiosity — and it'll drink fresher and livelier than anything labeled 'house white' here.
Cooper's Hawk Lux Cabernet Sauvignon
The Lux tier pricing climbs noticeably above the standard lineup, and in a room that's built around approachability, paying a premium for the house reserve Cab is a tough sell. The standard Cabernet Sauvignon delivers the same general profile without the upcharge.
Cooper's Hawk Tempranillo (Rioja, Spain) + Dana's Parmesan-Crusted Chicken
The Tempranillo's earthy red fruit and mild tannin cut through the richness of the Parmesan crust without overwhelming the chicken — it's the kind of match where both things taste better together, which is the whole point.
The Bottom Line
Cooper's Hawk Lansing is a reliable, well-run wine experience for people who want more than a standard restaurant list but aren't ready to navigate a 200-label tome. Send a friend here if they're wine-curious and want to drink well without homework — just don't expect anything that'll change how they think about wine.
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Carrabba's Lansing isn't a wine destination — it's a chain with a four-bottle list that skews heavily toward one California region and ignores everything Italian about the menu. Come for the pasta, skip the wine program, or catch one of their Paso Robles wine dinners if the timing works out.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
East Lansing · Lansing · Mexican
El Azteco is a beloved college-town institution, and the wine list knows its place — it's there so you can technically order wine, not because anyone thought hard about it. Stick to the margaritas; they're the real program here.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Lansing · Lansing · American, Brew Pub, Bar
Beggar's Banquet is a beloved East Lansing institution and the wine list reflects that — it's comfortable, familiar, and a little overpriced. Come on a Wednesday when half-price bottles make the steep markups survivable, order the bubbles, and remember that the beer list is probably the real reason everyone keeps coming back.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
East Lansing · Lansing · American bar & grill
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Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Lansing · Lansing · Hotel Restaurant
If you're staying at the Crowne Plaza or just need a reliable glass of wine before a meeting in Lansing, Kindred Table won't let you down — prices are fair, the producers are legitimate, and nobody's trying to fleece you. Just don't come expecting discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Town Lansing · Lansing · Gastropub
Zoobie's isn't where you go to geek out on wine, but if you're meeting friends for dinner in Old Town and someone at the table insists on a glass, you won't be stuck with regret. Grab the Malbec or the Mawby rosé, let everyone else argue about the beer list.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Sandy Springs · Sandy Springs · Contemporary American
Atlas runs one of the most ambitious by-the-glass programs in the Atlanta metro — 48 options with genuine depth, from grower Champagne to Sicilian Nerello to serious Burgundy. The markup is real and the pricing at the top end gets aggressive, but there are legitimate values buried in the list for anyone willing to look past the Dom Pérignon. If you care about wine and find yourself in Sandy Springs, this is where you go.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
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Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Taos · Contemporary American
NOSA is doing something genuinely rare: curating a short, smart, globally curious wine list in a place where no one would expect it. The pricing is fair, the picks are specific, and the list has a clear point of view. If you're driving through Taos and care about what's in your glass, this is the room to be in.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Taos · Contemporary American
medley. has no business running a wine list this considered in a small New Mexico mountain town, and yet here we are. Pricing is fair across the board, the selection leans curious over commercial, and the rosé section alone is worth the visit. If you're in Taos and care about what's in your glass, this is where you eat.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
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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