Solid Southern food with a safe wine lineup
Downtown Macon · Macon · Southern · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed March 13, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Dovetail reads like a greatest hits album from the last decade of American wine retail — recognizable names that'll make your aunt from Florida comfortable. It's a 40-50 bottle list heavy on California cult darlings and safe Old World picks, with glass pours hovering in the $13-$18 range.
The list skews heavily California with Frank Family, Orin Swift, and The Cab holding down the high end, plus Argentina (Crios Malbec) and Oregon (Ayres Pinot) making predictable appearances. There's an Italian outlier with Maso Maroni Amarone at $160, and Uruguay gets a nod, but overall this is wine list autopilot — nothing wrong, nothing exciting. The $50-$160 bottle range is respectable for Macon, but the selections lean toward crowd-pleasers rather than discoveries. You won't find natural wines, grower Champagnes, or anything that'll make a wine geek pull out their phone to photograph the list.
Ten-plus glass options is solid for a restaurant this size, and the $13-$18 range is fair for the market. The Crios Malbec at $14 and Ayres Pinot at $18 show some thought toward variety, though both are pretty standard restaurant pours. The glass list gets the job done without inspiring much excitement — think reliable rather than revelatory.
CRIOS 2021 Malbec — $14
Honest Argentine fruit at an honest price — this is what $14 should buy you by the glass
MASO MARONI 2018 Amarone
The only real outlier on the list — a proper Amarone from Valpolicella that shows someone cared enough to add depth beyond Napa Cabs
ORIN SWIFT 8 YEARS IN THE DESERT 2022 Zinfandel Blend
At $110, this is peak restaurant markup on a wine that screams "we bought this because the label looks cool" — you're paying for branding, not juice
AYRES 2022 Pinot Noir + Duck breast
Oregon Pinot's earthy elegance cuts through duck fat while complementing the meat's richness — this is textbook pairing territory
✔️ The Bottom Line
Dovetail delivers dependable wine service that won't blow your mind or your budget. Come for the shrimp and grits, stay for a glass of Malbec, but don't expect the wine list to be the highlight of your night.
Unknown · Macon · Japanese
This isn't a wine destination, and the restaurant isn't pretending it is. Order sake or beer and you'll have a better experience.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Macon · Macon · Italian
This is a chain restaurant with a chain wine list, and both are exactly what you'd expect. If you're here for the wood-fired grill and the vibe, stick with beer or a cocktail. The wine program is an afterthought.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Macon · Macon · Japanese Hibachi
Come for the onion volcano and knife tricks, not the wine program. If you must drink wine here, keep it simple and cheap—or better yet, order sake and call it a night.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Macon · Macon · American Tavern
Whitehall Tavern isn't trying to be a wine destination, and that's perfectly fine. The markups are honest, the selection is predictable but competent, and nobody's going to pretend this is anything more than solid tavern drinking. If you're in Macon and want wine with dinner without getting gouged, this is your spot.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Macon · Macon · Southern Revival
Loom won't win awards for wine curation, but the fair pricing and solid basics make it a reliable choice when you're staying downtown or catching a business dinner. Order the Lapostolle Cab and call it a win.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Macon · Macon · Modern American
Dovetail keeps it simple and does it well. You're not going to find cutting-edge bottles or steal pricing, but you'll drink California wines that actually taste good at markups that won't make you wince. A solid neighborhood spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Southern
The Southern Gentleman isn't here to win wine awards, and it doesn't pretend to be. But fair prices, a full glass pour program, and a couple of genuinely smart picks buried in a short list make it more than serviceable — come for the food, order a glass, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Bessemer · Bessemer · Southern
Bright Star isn't a destination for wine lovers, but it's not pretending to be — and the Skouras on that list is enough to earn our respect. Come for the history and the seafood, order the Greek white, and don't look too hard at the Sancerre pricing.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pearl District · Portland · Southern
Screen Door is a Wild Card — a Southern comfort food spot that has no business having a thoughtful Oregon wine list, and yet here we are. The markups sting a little, but the Lambrusco alone is worth the detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.