A Bar That Chills Its Sparkling Reds
· Jersey City · American Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 17, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ed & Mary's’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Thirteen bottles, every single one available by the glass — that's a bar that knows its crowd and doesn't overcomplicate things. The price ceiling is $42, which keeps the stakes low and the pours accessible. What you don't expect walking into a Jersey City bar is a carbonic Zinfandel and an ancestral-method sparkling Pinot Noir sitting quietly at the end of the list.
The bulk of this list is exactly what it looks like: crowd-friendly bottles from recognizable names like Oyster Bay, Franciscan Estate, Bread & Butter, and Prophecy. Argentina makes two appearances via Portillo, which punches above its weight class here. But the list earns its keep with two genuinely interesting outliers — the Delegati Ancestral Method Sparkling Pinot Noir and the Intérieur Carbonic Zinfandel, both at $38 — that suggest someone behind this list was paying at least a little attention. There are no old-world deep cuts or anything to geek out over, but for a bar menu this size, the effort is real.
The entire list is by the glass, which is either a genius move or a sign they move bottles fast enough to keep quality from slipping — probably both. Glass pours run $8–$12, which is genuinely reasonable for Jersey City. No rotation or reserve pours to speak of, but at these prices, that's forgivable.
Portillo Cabernet Sauvignon — $28
The cheapest bottle on the list and one of the most reliable value producers out of Mendoza. At $28, you're getting a clean, fruit-forward Cab that would run you $12–$15 retail — that's a fair markup for a bar setting. Easy choice for a table splitting a bottle.
Intérieur Carbonic Zinfandel
Nobody walking into a bar orders carbonic Zinfandel — and that's exactly why you should. Carbonic maceration softens Zinfandel's typical jamminess into something lighter and more interesting, closer to a Beaujolais than the big extracted reds Zin is known for. It's the most adventurous pour on a short list, and at $38 it's not a stretch.
Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon
At $42 it's the most expensive bottle on the menu, but Bread & Butter is a mass-market California Cab you can find at most grocery stores for around $13–$15. The Portillo next to it is $14 cheaper and more interesting. There's no reason to land here.
Delegati Ancestral Method Sparkling Pinot Noir + Bar snacks or anything fried
Ancestral-method sparkling wines are lower in alcohol, slightly funky, and have that effervescence that cuts through salt and fat like a knife. It's the kind of wine that makes a plate of fried bar food feel intentional. Order it cold, drink it fast.
The Bottom Line
Ed & Mary's isn't trying to be a wine bar and doesn't need to be — but whoever put the Intérieur Carbonic Zinfandel and Delegati Sparkling Pinot Noir on a 13-bottle bar list deserves a nod. Prices are fair, the whole list pours by the glass, and two genuinely weird options make this worth more than a passing glance.
Jersey City · Jersey City · New American / Cocktail Bar
Jane Doe is a cocktail bar that quietly assembled a better wine list than most actual restaurants in the area. If you're in Jersey City and someone tells you to skip the wine here, they haven't seen the list.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · Italian
Porto by Antonio delivers a credible Italian-forward wine list with genuine high points — Promis, Barbaresco, Brunello — and a by-the-glass program that actually gives people choices. Markups get aggressive at the top, and the Caymus pricing is frankly embarrassing, but if you stick to the Italian core and the smart mid-range picks, you'll drink well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · French-inspired / Cocktail Bar
Madame JC isn't a wine destination — it's a cocktail bar that happens to have one of the most focused and genuinely well-chosen dessert wine lists in Jersey City. Show up after dinner, order the 20-Year Tawny, and thank whoever put this menu together.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · New American
Mathews isn't a destination wine list, but it's honest, fairly priced, and more thoughtful than it looks at first glance. Send a friend here if they want a good glass without a lecture.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hamilton Park · Jersey City · Italian
GP's Hamilton Park isn't a destination wine list, but it's a fair one — honest prices, approachable options, and a by-the-glass program that covers the table without drama. Send your friend here if they want a solid neighborhood pour, not a wine education.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · Beer Bar / Sausages
Würst Bar is not a wine destination — it's a cider destination wearing a wine list's clothes, and it's really good at that specific thing. Send your cider-curious friends here without hesitation; tell your Burgundy-obsessed friends to eat somewhere else first.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Houston · American Bar
You came for bourbon, Topgolf simulators, and a burger — the wine list won't blow your mind, but it won't embarrass you either. Fair pricing and smart picks make this a reliable stop when you need a glass with your meal.
Solid Range
Fair
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Tampa · Tampa · American Bar
Come for the gin, stay for the gin, and maybe order a beer. The wine program isn't broken, it's just not trying.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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