Cress Restaurant
California Classics Meet DeLand's Best-Kept Secret
Downtown DeLand · DeLand · Farm to Table, Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 12, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You're in downtown DeLand — a city most Floridians drive past without blinking — and somehow there's a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence on the wall. That alone earns a second look. The list is tight, California-forward, and clearly curated with intention even if it doesn't swing for the fences.
Selection Deep Dive
The 80-120 bottle list reads like a greatest-hits album for California wine: Kistler, Cakebread, Jordan, Duckhorn, Ridge — all the names your parents recognize and you secretly enjoy. There's no real exploration of Burgundy or the Rhône, and nothing that's going to make a natural wine devotee feel at home, but the producers they've chosen are genuinely solid rather than just recognizable. Ridge Vineyards showing up is probably the most exciting entry on the list — their Zinfandels consistently punch above their price point. The gaps are real, but what's here is chosen well.
By the Glass
Ten to sixteen options by the glass in this price range ($10–$18) is a respectable spread for a restaurant this size in this market. The pours skew toward familiar California names, which means you're not getting anything adventurous but you're also not getting stuck with anonymous house wine. Rotation cadence is unclear, but the range suggests reasonable effort.
Ridge Vineyards Zinfandel — $35–$55 (estimated bottle range)
Ridge consistently delivers complex, food-friendly Zinfandel at prices that haven't caught up to the quality. In a list dominated by prestige Cabernet and Chardonnay, this is the bottle that actually rewards you for ordering it.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot
Merlot still carries a reputation hangover from Sideways, which means most tables at Cress walk right past it. That's a mistake. Duckhorn's Merlot is plush, structured, and holds up to a braised short rib in a way that flashier Cabernet sometimes doesn't.
Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay
Cakebread is fine. It's also on every restaurant list in America and priced accordingly. You're paying for the name here more than the experience. The Kistler Chardonnay is the more interesting pour if you want California Chard done right.
Kistler Chardonnay + Seared Scallops
Kistler's Chardonnay has the weight and acidity to stand up to a sear without drowning the sweetness of the scallop. It's a classic pairing executed with better ingredients than you'd expect to find in central Florida.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Cress is a genuine surprise in a city that doesn't have any business supporting a list like this — the Wine Spectator credential is earned, not decorative. If you're passing through DeLand, or better yet, making a point to visit, this is exactly where you should be drinking.
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