Film Noir Vibes, Serious Wine Chops
Penn Quarter · Washington · Seasonal · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 11, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Dirty Habit’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The name sounds like a cocktail bar dare, but the wine list here is no joke. Dirty Habit's Penn Quarter fire-pit lounge hides a 150-200 bottle program that earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in its first eligible year. The room sells ambiance hard — the wine list quietly backs it up.
The list leans into the three-legged stool of France, California, and Italy — no apologies, no detours. On the French side you've got Burgundy anchors in Domaine Drouhin and Louis Jadot, solid names that belong on any serious list. Italy shows up with Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino producers and Rhône rounds out the Old World depth. California is where the price tags get ambitious — Kistler and Rombauer Chardonnay sit alongside Stag's Leap and Opus One Cabernet, which tells you this list has one eye on the expense-account crowd.
Twelve to eighteen pours by the glass is a respectable spread for a place with this much bottle ambition. Pricing runs $12-$20 per glass, which is honest for Penn Quarter without being generous. We'd love to see more rotation and adventurous pours in that format — right now it feels like the BTG program plays it safe while the bottle list takes the risks.
Louis Jadot Burgundy — $45
Jadot's entry-level Burgundy sits at the floor of the bottle list and offers genuine Pinot character without the Drouhin premium. In a room full of three-figure Cabernets, this is your sensible move that still drinks like you know what you're doing.
Rhône Valley red
Most tables here are locked in on the Napa Cab or the Burgundy — the Rhône selections get skipped entirely. That's a mistake. Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre blends from the southern Rhône are built for a menu like this one, and they're almost always the quietest value on a list that otherwise skews expensive.
Opus One
Opus One on a restaurant list is almost always a markup trap, and Dirty Habit is no exception. You're paying a serious premium for a label that drinks fine but punches well below its price in this format. Save Opus One for a special occasion where the bottle is the point — here it's just the most expensive line item.
Kistler Chardonnay + Pan-seared fish
Kistler's California Chardonnay has enough richness and texture to hold up to a well-executed pan sear without overwhelming the fish. The wine's restrained oak and bright acidity make it the most food-friendly call on an otherwise meat-and-red-wine list.
The Bottom Line
Dirty Habit is a genuinely fun room with a wine list that earns its Wine Spectator credential — just go in knowing the markups reflect the Penn Quarter zip code as much as the cellar quality. Sommelier Valeria Stukovnina is the real asset here; ask questions and let her steer.
· Washington · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is one of the more focused and honest Greek programs you'll find at a mid-to-high scale restaurant in D.C. The by-the-glass selection is wide, the pricing doesn't insult you, and the Greek variety depth is genuinely impressive. If you've been waiting for a reason to finally figure out what Xinomavro tastes like, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão's wine list is exactly what a national Brazilian steakhouse chain's wine list looks like: functional, familiar, and priced for margin rather than your benefit. The by-the-glass count is impressive on paper, but most of the options are labels you've seen at your grocery store for a fraction of what they're charging here. If you're coming for the meat — and you should be — stick to the Catena Malbec and enjoy the show.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Washington · Washington · Steak House
A 20-wine by-the-glass list with every pour between $14 and $30, split across four sparkling, six white, two rosé and eight red. With a steak, start with the $26 Clos Duval Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or the $22 Monte Antico Supremus; for the cheapest glass, take the $14 Dr. Loosen Riesling. Pour sizes aren't posted and the page is undated, so confirm today's wines. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown DC · Washington · Steakhouse
A steakhouse beverage menu with 30 wines by the glass and a bottle list that is mostly California, with some France, Italy and Portugal. Start with the $9/glass happy hour Bonanza Cabernet if you arrive in the window, or the Eroica Riesling, the only Riesling on the glass list, and ask for prices because regular wine prices aren't posted. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Georgetown · Washington · Seafood, Steakhouse
An unpriced list that is easier to read for what it offers than for what it costs. If you want Bordeaux, ask for the 2020 Margaux de Brane Cantenac, or look at the Brunello di Montalcino in Sommelier's Selections, and get the price before you commit. This unrated guide covers the posted Beverage Menu, not service, storage or markups.
Washington · Washington · Latin, Vegetarian
A wide-ranging list with 14 wines by the glass from $17 to $95 and a bottle book that runs from $60 to $1,275. Start with the $17 Eichinger Grüner Veltliner or the $20 Pêcheur Trousseau, and ask for the Natural Wines section if you want something low-intervention. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
St. George · St. George · Seasonal
Painted Pony is the best wine program in the room — literally, for miles around — and John Delaney's presence keeps it from becoming just another hotel-lobby Cab list. The markups sting and the selection won't surprise anyone, but in Southern Utah, this is where you go when you want a real bottle with a real dinner.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Plymouth · Plymouth · Seasonal
Five Steakhouse is a dependable, well-kept California list that plays to its audience without apology — fair enough for a resort steakhouse in Plymouth, even if adventurous drinkers will want to look elsewhere. Send your Cab-loving friend here without hesitation; send the natural wine nerd with a cocktail recommendation instead.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Havre de Grace · Havre de Grace · Seasonal
The Vineyard Wine Bar is doing something genuinely surprising for a small Maryland waterfront town — a real wine list with real producers at fair prices, and a Wine Spectator stamp that's held since 2012 for good reason. Send a friend here, especially if they think good wine stops at the Baltimore city limits.
Solid Range
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
