Tennessee's Backyard Grape Makes a Case
Lookout Valley · Chattanooga · Winery · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 14, 2026
RagingWine reviewed DeBarge Winery’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 DeBarge feels less like a restaurant wine list and more like a winemaker opening their cellar door — because that's exactly what it is. The list is short, every bottle is made here, and there's a refreshing lack of pretense about the whole thing. You're not choosing between a Burgundy and a Barossa; you're choosing between what this patch of Tennessee decided to grow this year.
The lineup runs eight to twelve estate wines depending on the vintage, covering the expected bases — a Syrah, a Chardonnay, a Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux-style red blend, and at least one semi-sweet white that skews toward a Riesling profile. Don't come expecting a deep bench of obscure grapes or an old-world anchor; this is a focused Tennessee program and it owns that identity. The fruit is either estate-grown or sourced regionally, which means terroir conversation here is genuinely local, not a marketing line. Seasonal and limited blends rotate through the tasting menu, which keeps the list from feeling completely static even if the core lineup doesn't change much year to year.
Tastings are structured as flights rather than individual pours, which is honestly the right call for a winery of this size — it lets you move through the range without committing to a full bottle of something unfamiliar. Expect six to ten options available in any given flight, priced in the $10–$15 range, which is genuinely approachable for an estate experience. There's no rotating by-the-glass chalkboard here, but the flight format does the same job.
DeBarge Syrah — $30
A Tennessee Syrah at estate pricing — likely landing in the $25–$35 range — is a legitimate value when you factor in that you're drinking something with actual local provenance and not a bulk-sourced restaurant markup. Worth the bottle over the pour.
DeBarge Riesling (semi-sweet seasonal white)
Most people are going to gravitate toward the reds, which means this semi-sweet white sits overlooked on the tasting flight. Tennessee summers are brutal, and a chilled semi-sweet Riesling-style white from a local producer is the right answer to that problem. Don't sleep on it.
DeBarge Cabernet Sauvignon
Cab is the hardest sell in a young Tennessee program — the climate doesn't naturally favor it, and without the cellar depth of a California operation, it can come across as thin or overly tannic. Try it in the flight first; don't open a full bottle on faith.
DeBarge Chardonnay + Local charcuterie board
A Tennessee estate Chardonnay — likely unoaked or lightly handled — keeps things clean and bright against cured meats and soft cheeses without steamrolling the spread. It's the kind of pairing that works because neither thing is trying too hard.
The Bottom Line
DeBarge is the Wild Card Chattanooga deserves — a real working winery in the city's backyard, making honest wine at honest prices, staffed by people who actually care what's in the glass. If you want a Napa blockbuster, go somewhere else; if you want to drink something made twenty minutes from where you're sitting, this is your stop.
Northshore · Chattanooga · American / Southern
The Rosecomb isn't a wine destination, but it's a genuinely good wine surprise — especially on a Tuesday when the whole bottle list goes half-price. Come for the burger, stay for the País.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Ringgold (Greater Chattanooga Area) · Chattanooga · Southern Coastal (Seafood, Steaks, Southern Sides)
1885 Grill Ringgold won't change how you think about wine, but it won't embarrass you in front of your dinner date either. It's the reliable neighborhood option in a part of Greater Chattanooga where that actually counts for something.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Ooltewah · Chattanooga · Southern Coastal (Seafood, Steaks, Southern Sides)
1885 Grill is a solid neighborhood spot where the wine list does its job without doing much more. The selection is approachable, the BTG count is surprisingly high, but watch the markups on the low end — some of those glass pours are doing a lot of work for the house.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
St. Elmo · Chattanooga · Southern and Coastal
1885 Grill St. Elmo isn't a wine destination, but it doesn't need to be — it's a reliable neighborhood spot with fair prices, a comfortable patio, and a list that won't embarrass anyone. Send a friend here for dinner and tell them to order the Trapiche; don't send them here to geek out on wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northshore · Chattanooga · Portuguese and Mediterranean
Bela Lisboa is the most interesting wine list you'll find attached to a cozy neighborhood bistro in Chattanooga — the Portuguese focus is real and it works with the food. The markups are too aggressive on several bottles, but the soul of the program is there, and that's not nothing.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Chattanooga · Chattanooga · Spanish / Tapas
Paloma is a genuine surprise for Chattanooga — a rooftop bar that actually committed to an Iberian wine program instead of defaulting to a lazy domestic list. It's not a deep cellar, but it's exactly the right list for the room.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Cherry Street · Gatlinburg · Winery
This isn't a destination for serious wine drinkers, and it knows that — Smoky Mountain Winery is a cheerful, unpretentious regional stop that delivers exactly what it promises. If you're in Gatlinburg and curious about Tennessee fruit wines, this is the place; if you're hunting for a serious cellar, keep driving.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Bainbridge / Greater Lancaster · Lancaster · Winery
Nissley is a Wild Card in the best sense: you're not getting a canonical wine list, you're getting a third-generation Pennsylvania winery doing its own thing with grapes most restaurants wouldn't touch. If you're open to that, the prices alone make it worth the trip out to Bainbridge.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Historic Main Street · Grapevine · Winery
This is a one-winery show, and it works — especially on Wednesdays when glass prices drop and the porch vibe kicks in fully. Don't expect a deep cellar; do expect to find a Texas Tempranillo or anniversary blend that makes you genuinely happy you stopped.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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