California pours meet Southern comfort on the lake
Reynolds Lake Oconee · Greensboro · Southern American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 13, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Eighty8 Kitchen + Cocktails’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Eighty8 lands exactly how you'd expect from an upscale resort dining room in lake country — California all day, heavy on the recognizable names, no real surprises. It's a crowd-pleaser built for guests who already know what they like and aren't here to be challenged. Fresh off a 2025 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, the program has real credibility, even if the ambition stays within comfortable limits.
The list runs 75 to 125 bottles and leans hard into California's greatest hits — Caymus, Jordan, Stag's Leap, Duckhorn, Rombauer, Sonoma-Cutrer. These aren't bad choices; they're just predictable ones. There's no meaningful Old World presence to speak of, no natural wine curiosity, and the regional diversity is basically nonexistent. What you do get is a reliable lineup of bankable producers that pair logically with the prime beef and pecan-crusted fish coming out of the kitchen.
With 10 to 16 pours available by the glass, there's enough range to navigate a meal without committing to a bottle — which at these price points is often the smarter call. Expect Sonoma-Cutrer or Rombauer for Chardonnay fans and something Cabernet-forward for the steak crowd. The rotation doesn't appear to change much, so don't come in hoping for a monthly surprise.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $65
Jordan punches above its resort markup weight — it's a consistently well-made Alexander Valley Cab that drinks better than most bottles in this price tier on a lake property list. It won't break the bank and it won't let you down.
Duckhorn Merlot
Everyone in this room is ordering Cabernet and ignoring the Duckhorn Merlot, which is a shame. It's a genuinely polished Napa Merlot from one of the variety's best producers — silky, food-friendly, and underordered enough that the staff may actually still be excited to talk about it.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is a resort wine list staple for a reason — it's recognizable and it sells itself. But you're paying a significant markup on a wine that's already inflated at retail, and the ubiquity has long since outpaced the quality. There are smarter Cab spends on this same list.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Prime beef cuts
Stag's Leap has been built for red meat since its 1976 Paris Tasting moment. The structure and dark fruit hold up beautifully against a well-seasoned prime cut, and it's the kind of pairing that feels exactly right in a lakeside dining room with white tablecloths.
The Bottom Line
Eighty8 is a solid, unfussy wine program for a resort crowd that knows what it likes — California heavy, staff willing, prices a bit steep but not insulting. Send a friend here for a good bottle of Cab with dinner; just don't send them expecting to be surprised.
South Elm · Greensboro · Wine bar & cheese
Lewis & Elm earns the Wild Card badge because it's the kind of unexpected neighborhood wine bar that punches well above its zip code — a sommelier-curated list leaning into Tuscany, Greece, and Sicily inside a cozy South Elm storefront is not what most people expect to find in Greensboro. We'd happily send a friend here for a flight and a cheese board, and tell them to actually listen to whatever the staff recommends. Just know that our sourced pricing detail is thin right now, so go in with curiosity and ask questions — that's the right posture for a place like this anyway.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Greensboro · New American and Wine Bar
1808 Craft & Vine is doing something quietly smart: a fully by-the-glass list at prices that don't punish curiosity, with enough international range to keep things interesting. We don't know the food, we don't know the staff, and the list isn't going to wow a Burgundy collector — but if you're in Greensboro and want to drink something you'd never order at a chain steakhouse, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Greensboro · Wine and Cocktail Bar
Marjae's is doing something genuinely uncommon for a mid-size Southern city: running a wine-forward space with actual expertise behind it, at prices that won't make you wince. We'd send a friend here for a low-key date night or a Thursday tasting without hesitation — just go in ready to ask questions, because the staff seems like they actually want to answer them.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
· Greensboro · Cocktail and Wine Bar
Bitters Social House isn't trying to be a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but the pricing is genuinely fair, a couple of producer picks show real effort, and the by-the-glass setup means you can drink well without committing to a bottle. If you're in Greensboro and need a glass before or after dinner, this is a perfectly honest place to have one.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Greensboro · Italian Steakhouse
Giovanni's is a reliable neighborhood anchor — the room is good, the food has a loyal following, and the Italian reds give you enough to work with if you dig past the Sand Point labels. We'd send a friend here for dinner without hesitation; we'd just steer them straight toward the Barolo or Brunello and skip the California filler.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Greensboro · Steakhouse
Fleming's Greensboro is doing more than most chain steakhouses bother to do with wine — 42 by-the-glass options and actual Alsatian whites on a Greensboro wine list deserves acknowledgment. The markups are real and the list isn't going to surprise anyone who's been to a Fleming's before, but if you're eating a bone-in ribeye and want a proper glass without guesswork, this delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Greenville · Greenville · Southern American
Soby's list is easiest to use from the front: start with the By The Glass page, where La Divina Lambrusco di Sorbara is $13 and the Domaine Fichet Mâcon Chardonnay is $14, then ask the sommeliers about Burgundy, Champagne or Piedmont. Put the Mâcon with the Crab Cakes. The PDF's file name carries the date October 7, 2026, so confirm availability and prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Peachtree City · Southern American
Elliott's punches well above its suburban strip-mall address with a 72-bottle list, a real sparkling program, and by-the-glass options that actually reward attention. Markups look fair across the board, and the Riesling depth alone is worth noting in a town where most restaurants hand you a Kendall-Jackson and call it a day. If you're heading here for a special occasion dinner, skip the Moët, grab the Eroica or the Sancerre, and eat the fried chicken. You'll leave happy.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Gatlinburg · Southern American
Ole Red is a concert venue and bar that happens to have wine on the menu — and it shows. If you're in Gatlinburg for live music and cold beer, this place probably delivers. If you're looking to drink well, skip the wine entirely and order a cocktail or a local beer. There are better uses for your $10.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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