Llamas, local grapes, and genuine charm
· Winston Salem · Winery Tasting Room / Light Bites · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Divine Llama Vineyards Tasting Room & Bistro’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Pull up to a winery with llamas on the property and you're already not at a typical restaurant — and the wine list reflects that energy. It's short, it's hyper-local, and every bottle on it was made right here. This isn't a curated list so much as a portrait of one farm's output, which is either exactly what you came for or a polite heads-up to calibrate expectations.
Ten labels, all Divine Llama Vineyards estate wines — no outside producers, no guest bottles, no distractions. The lineup covers the bases you'd expect from a North Carolina winery: a Cabernet Franc, a Merlot, a Traminette, and the crowd-pleasing hybrid Chardonel in two expressions (standard and a Gold reserve-style). What's interesting is the range of styles: Red Rita Rosé suggests some playfulness, Mustang Sally and Merlina hint at blending ambition, and the Versailles 'Si' adds a touch of flair with a French nod. It's not deep, but it's coherent — the kind of list where you can tell someone actually thought about what grows well here rather than just filling slots.
We couldn't confirm specific by-the-glass pours or pricing from available sources, but tasting room formats typically offer flights and individual pours across the full lineup — so you're likely able to work through most of these without committing to a bottle. If that's the model here, it's actually a solid deal for exploration. Come thirsty and curious.
The Bottom Line
Divine Llama is a fun, farm-genuine detour if you're exploring North Carolina wine country and want something local and unpretentious. Don't come for depth or discovery beyond the estate — come for the story, the setting, and a glass of Traminette you probably wouldn't have ordered anywhere else.
· Winston Salem · Bakery / Cafe
Camino Bakery shouldn't have a wine list this considered, and yet here we are. Bottles top out at $29, most land between $14 and $19, and the selection skews curious rather than safe — Txakoli and orange wine at a Winston-Salem bakery is genuinely unexpected. If you're nearby and want a low-pressure bottle without the restaurant markup, this is a legitimately good stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Thai
Thai Harmony is genuinely worth visiting for the food — the khao soi and kai yang have real fans for a reason, and the downtown space is one of the better dining rooms in Winston-Salem. But come for the kitchen, not the cellar. Until the wine program shows us something specific worth recommending, you're better off ordering a Thai iced tea and saving the wine for another night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Modern Mexican
Alma Mexicana is a genuine wild card — a modern Mexican restaurant in Winston-Salem with a wine program that's quietly pointing at Old World Europe instead of the expected California house pour. We need the full list to give you the real numbers, but the instinct here is good enough to warrant ordering something other than a margarita.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Bottle Shop
The Caviste is doing something genuinely weird for Winston-Salem — a curated, Austria-only bottle shop with prices that should embarrass most restaurant wine lists. If you're even slightly curious about Grüner Veltliner or natural-leaning reds, this is a low-risk, high-reward detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · American Cafe
West End Cafe isn't a wine destination, but it's a perfectly decent place to drink something decent without overpaying for it. Send a friend here if they want wine with dinner and aren't looking to make an event out of it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Market
Little Pep is doing something genuinely uncommon for Winston-Salem: a short, confident, all-by-the-glass natural wine list with real producer cred and fair prices. Send a curious friend here; skip sending someone who wants a Napa Cab.
Small but Thoughtful
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
