Paris on the Prairie, Minus the Attitude
Downtown · Des Moines · French Brasserie · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 20, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Django looks exactly how you'd want it to in a French brasserie — it leans hard into France, with Burgundy, Rhône, Bordeaux, and Alsace all showing up in force. It's a legitimately thoughtful list for Des Moines, and it fits the bistro energy without trying to be something it's not. The problem announces itself once you start doing the math on prices.
Django's list runs 80–130 bottles deep, anchored by French classics: Côtes du Rhône, Mâcon-Villages, Bourgogne Pinot Noir, and a handful of Bordeaux blanc and rosé options fill out the middle. Chapoutier, Jadot, Jaboulet, and Bouchard are all represented — reliable producers, if not exactly adventurous ones. There's a California presence rounding out the back half, which feels slightly out of place but gives non-French drinkers an easy on-ramp. What's missing is any real depth in grower Burgundy or independent Rhône producers — this is a list built for recognition, not discovery.
The by-the-glass program runs an estimated 12–18 options, priced in the $10–$16 range, which lands about right for a downtown dinner spot. The selection tracks the bottle list — mostly French with a California cameo — and there's no evidence of a rotating program or regular glass refreshes. It gets the job done, but don't expect to be surprised.
Bouchard Aîné et Fils Pinot Noir (Bourgogne) 2021 — $60
At 140% markup, this is the least punishing bottle on the list and a genuine Burgundy for the price. It's not a cellar gem, but it's honest Pinot Noir from a reliable négociant, and it's the closest thing to a fair deal Django offers.
Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages Chardonnay 2022
Most tables skip past Mâcon-Villages looking for something flashier, but this is clean, food-friendly Burgundian Chardonnay without the oak bomb. It's the right call with anything coming out of the kitchen that touches cream or butter — and at a French brasserie, that's half the menu.
Château Bonnet Bordeaux Blanc 2022
At $44 for a bottle that retails around $13, you're looking at a 238% markup on a perfectly ordinary Sauvignon Blanc-Sémillon blend. It's not a bad wine — it's just not a $44 wine. Order anything else.
M. Chapoutier Belleruche Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge 2021 + Steak Frites
Grenache-forward, peppery, and medium-bodied — Belleruche is built for red meat. It doesn't fight the steak, it runs alongside it. Classic brasserie move, and it works every time.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Django earns its place as Downtown Des Moines' best shot at a French wine experience, but the markup math will sting if you're paying attention. Stick to the Burgundy end of the list, order the steak frites, and you'll leave happy — just not at a steal.
Johnston · Des Moines · Wine bar / American
Louie's Johnston is exactly what a suburban wine bar should be — a big by-the-glass list, fair prices, and zero pretension. Send your friends here when they want to drink well without a side of attitude.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Clive · Des Moines · Steakhouse & American
Club Car is a reliable steakhouse wine list doing exactly what it was built to do: keep Cab drinkers happy and nobody walking out complaining. Don't come here for discovery, but don't leave without ordering the Jordan.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waukee · Des Moines · Japanese / Asian Fusion / Sushi
Wasabi Waukee is a genuinely good sushi restaurant that treats its wine list like an afterthought — familiar names, steep markups, and zero curiosity about what wines might actually sing alongside the food. Order the cocktails or sake instead, and save the wine discussion for somewhere that cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Ingersoll / Grand · Des Moines · Contemporary American
Louie's Wine Dive is the kind of place Des Moines needs more of — a real wine program in a no-pretense room, with Tuesday half-price deals that make experimenting genuinely low-stakes. It's not a destination list, but it's absolutely a destination night.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Clive · Des Moines · American, Brewpub
Granite City is a brewery that tolerates wine, and the list reflects that perfectly. Drink the beer — it's the whole point of being here.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Des Moines / Jordan Creek · Des Moines · Italian
Bravo! is a fine dinner out if the pasta is what you're after, but the wine list is purely functional — corporate-designed, safely marked up, and entirely forgettable. Order a glass of bubbles or the Chianti, make peace with your choices, and let the food do the heavy lifting.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Santana Row · San Jose · French Brasserie
Left Bank Santana Row is a reliable French brasserie wine list with real highlights if you know where to look — just avoid the Instagram rosé and come during happy hour whenever possible. We'd send a friend here without hesitation, as long as they knew to ask about the Chave.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Unknown · Atlanta · French Brasserie
Brasserie Margot isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it accidentally became one anyway — the by-the-glass program alone beats most dedicated wine bars in the city. The markups sting a little, but the curation earns it.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Williamson Street · Madison · French Brasserie
Sardine isn't a destination wine list, but it's a genuinely well-considered one for a neighborhood bistro — fair prices, smart regional picks, and a half-carafe option that earns real goodwill. Send your friends here for the moules and tell them to skip the Barolo.
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.