Fort Wayne's Tightest Short List Done Right
· Fort Wayne · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Copper Spoon’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
Seven bottles. That's the whole list. Before you panic, take a breath — every single one is available by the glass, and whoever built this thing actually thought about it. No filler, no house plonk hiding behind a chalkboard, just seven deliberate picks that cover the bases without boring you to death.
The geographic spread here is genuinely impressive for a list this small: Champagne, Veneto, Marlborough, Sonoma, Willamette Valley, Napa, and Salta, Argentina. That's seven regions across four countries for seven bottles, which takes some conviction. BloodRoot Chardonnay from Sonoma is a smart, lower-profile California pick, and Amalaya Malbec from high-altitude Salta is a far more interesting choice than the usual Mendoza default. The Devaux Grand Réserve anchors the top end at $80 — a legitimate grower-adjacent Champagne house that belongs on a list like this. The obvious gap is zero Rosé and zero skin-contact anything, but for a restaurant wine list in Fort Wayne, the curation punches above its weight.
All seven bottles pour by the glass, ranging from $14 to $20, which means you're essentially getting retail-adjacent pricing on some solid producers. That Devaux Champagne by the glass at what's almost certainly the $20 ceiling is a quiet flex. No rotation or reserve BTG program to speak of — what you see is what you get, night after night.
Amalaya Malbec, Salta, Argentina — $48
Salta Malbec grows at serious elevation — think 5,000+ feet — which gives you lift and freshness you don't get from the flatter Mendoza stuff. At $48, this is a bottle worth seeking out, not just a crowd-pleaser placeholder.
Averaen Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Most people at a New American restaurant are going to reach for the Cab or the Malbec without a second thought. Averaen is a quiet, well-made Willamette producer that rewards curiosity — lighter, more precise, and genuinely food-friendly in a way the bigger reds just aren't.
The Critic Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California
At $64 it's the list's outlier in price, and The Critic is a commercial Napa label built more around branding than terroir. The Malbec or the Pinot Noir give you more to talk about for less money.
Devaux Grand Réserve, Champagne, France + Chef's tasting menu opener or any charcuterie or shellfish starter
Devaux Grand Réserve is a Pinot-dominant Champagne with good structure and enough richness to stand up to food rather than just toast with. Start your meal here instead of ordering it at the end — it'll make everything that follows taste better.
The Bottom Line
Copper Spoon proves you don't need a 200-bottle binder to run a thoughtful wine program — you just need to care about what you put on the list. For Fort Wayne, this is genuinely one of the better places to order a bottle without second-guessing yourself.
· Fort Wayne · Steakhouse / Supper Club
Club Soda is a reliable steakhouse wine list that knows its audience: Cab-drinking Fort Wayne locals who want the Caymus and don't need to think too hard. If you dig a little deeper, the Châteauneuf and the Amarone reward the curious — but nobody's coming here for the wine program alone.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Wayne · Latin / New American
Proximo isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the list is priced fairly, the picks are coherent, and the Torrontés alone is worth a detour. Send a friend here with confidence — just steer them away from the Black Stallion.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Wayne · New American / Taco Gastropub
The Hoppy Gnome is a beer bar, and you should drink the beer. If someone at the table insists on wine, the Prosecco or the sangria will get you through the night — just don't expect anything more than that.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown-adjacent / Near West · Fort Wayne · Italian market and deli
Antonuccio's isn't a restaurant wine program — it's something more interesting: a genuine Italian market where you can eat well and leave with better bottles than most Fort Wayne restaurants will ever pour you. Come for lunch, leave with a Chianti, zero regrets.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northwest (Jefferson Pointe / Illinois Rd corridor) · Fort Wayne · Upscale American Steakhouse
Eddie Merlot's Fort Wayne is a reliably well-run steakhouse wine program — proper storage, real glassware, a sommelier on the floor, and enough pours by the glass to satisfy a full table. The list won't challenge you, and the markups will sting, but if you want a classic California Cab with your prime beef and you want it done right, this place delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Jefferson Pointe · Fort Wayne · American – Gourmet Burgers & Pub Fare
BRU Burger Bar is genuinely great at what it does — burgers, fries, a cold beer. The wine list exists as an afterthought for guests who don't drink beer, and it should be treated accordingly. Order a craft draft, save the wine for somewhere that cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · New American
Mathews isn't a destination wine list, but it's honest, fairly priced, and more thoughtful than it looks at first glance. Send a friend here if they want a good glass without a lecture.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Western Addition · San Francisco · New American
Progress isn't trying to be the biggest wine list in San Francisco — it's trying to be the most interesting one, and it largely succeeds. If you want Napa Cab and familiar labels, go somewhere else; if you want to drink Grignolino and Furmint with dinner and feel genuinely good about the prices, this is your room.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· San Diego · New American
Paradisaea's wine list punches well above what you'd expect from a San Diego New American — eclectic without being pretentious, fairly priced without being cheap. We'd send a wine-curious friend here and tell them to skip the obvious bottles and dig into the Italian section.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
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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