Vermont's Best Wine Secret Is No Secret
Downtown Burlington · Burlington · Wine Bar
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Dedalus Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You walk into a reclaimed industrial space on Pine Street — brick walls, wood tabletops, bottles everywhere — and the list hits you like a very pleasant ambush. Four hundred-plus wines in Burlington, Vermont is not something you expect, and Dedalus leans into that surprise with zero apology. This is a place that takes wine seriously without making you feel underdressed for caring about it.
The list is anchored in France and Italy but earns real credibility with its depth in natural and biodynamic producers — this isn't a gimmick section tacked on for trend points, it's woven through the whole thing. Austria shows up meaningfully with selections from Gut Oggau, a producer that most restaurants outside of major metros have never heard of. The Bandol representation from Domaine Tempier alone signals that whoever built this list has strong opinions and follows through on them. Gaps are hard to identify from the outside, but the Loire Valley coverage reportedly goes deep enough to satisfy serious old-world obsessives.
Thirty to fifty by-the-glass options is an almost absurd number, and Dedalus actually makes it work because the staff can walk you through it without breaking a sweat. The pours rotate with the seasons, which means returning visitors aren't staring at the same ten bottles they saw last month. This is a by-the-glass program that functions as a genuine education tool, not just a way to offload slow-moving inventory.
Gut Oggau (Austria) — rotating selection — ~$18/glass
Gut Oggau wines are legitimately hard to find by the glass anywhere in New England. Getting access to their biodynamic Austrian roster at wine bar pricing is the kind of deal that doesn't last forever — drink it now.
Loire Valley Natural Producers — rotating selection
Most people land on something French and familiar. The natural Loire pours — chenin blancs, muscadets, cab francs from small biodynamic estates — are where Dedalus quietly shows off. Order the one your server recommends without Googling it first.
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé
Tempier is exceptional and we'd never tell you not to drink it eventually — but at a wine bar with 400+ bottles, ordering the one wine everyone already knows by name is leaving the whole point of the list on the table.
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rouge + Leeks Vinaigrette
Tempier's red Bandol brings enough Mourvèdre muscle to stand up to the brininess and acid in a classic leeks vinaigrette, while the wine's earthy, herbal backbone finds a natural home next to the soft sweetness of the leeks. It's a quietly perfect combination.
The Bottom Line
Dedalus is the rare wine bar that earns its reputation without inflating its ego — a 400-bottle list with real producers, fair pricing, and staff that actually knows the inventory is worth a detour to Burlington on its own. Send your most wine-obsessed friend here and let them figure out the rest.
Waterfront · Burlington · Craft Brewery with Bar Snacks
Foam is a brewery first, but the wine program punches way above its weight class — it's small, local, and priced like they actually want you to drink it. If you're on Burlington's waterfront and want something interesting in your glass that isn't a hazy IPA, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American with Vegan Options
The Daily Planet isn't a wine destination, but it has the instincts of one — a thoughtful natural wine pick, Monday half-price bottles, and fair pricing in a casual room that doesn't take itself too seriously. Send a friend here on a Monday and tell them to ask about the orange wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American Bistro
The Gryphon is a reliable neighborhood bistro with a wine list that matches its ambitions exactly: familiar, functional, and forgettable. Come for the burgers and brick walls, but don't expect the wine to be the highlight of your night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · Neapolitan wood-fired pizza and Italian cuisine
Pizzeria Verità isn't trying to be a wine destination and it doesn't need to be — it's a smart, Italy-focused list with honest markups and a few genuinely interesting bottles tucked in among the crowd-pleasers. Go for the pizza, order the Nebbiolo or the Cirò, and leave happy.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Church Street Marketplace · Burlington · Upscale American Steakhouse
EB Strong's has a wine list that does the job well and occasionally surprises you — especially if you look past the Caymus and dig into the European picks. Wednesday's half-price bottle program makes it one of the better wine-value nights in Burlington, full stop.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Burlington · Seasonal New American, farm-to-table
Hen of the Wood Burlington is the rare restaurant where the wine list is as considered as the food, and that's saying something when the kitchen is this good. If you're driving through Vermont and care about what's in your glass, this is worth a reservation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Mountain Road corridor · Stowe · Wine Bar
Dedalus Stowe is a legit wild card — a destination wine bar hiding in plain sight on a ski mountain road. If you care about what's in your glass, detour here before or after the slopes.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown / South Main Street · Canandaigua · Wine Bar
Acquilano isn't trying to be a destination wine bar — it's a Finger Lakes producer pouring its own work in a casual Main Street setting, and it does that with charm and absurdly fair prices. If you're in Canandaigua and you skip this, you've made a mistake.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Paso Robles · Paso Robles · Wine Bar
Indigené is a focused, fairly priced boutique tasting room doing honest work with Central Coast fruit — it's not trying to be a full wine bar, and that clarity is actually the point. If you want to understand what a small Paso Robles producer can pull off without the tourist-trap markup, this is worth an afternoon.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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