Elizabeth on 37th

The wine list at Elizabeth on 37th reads like a Southern mansion's cellar from the '90s—safe, familiar, and designed not to offend anyone's grandmother. You'll find the usual suspects lined up in proper order: California Cabs, Oregon Pinots, maybe a token Sancerre. Nothing here will make you pull out your phone to text a wine friend, but nothing will make you regret ordering it either.

The list leans heavily on West Coast crowd-pleasers with predictable markups that suggest the restaurant updates prices more often than bottles. Napa Valley gets the most real estate, with names like Stag's Leap and Jordan anchoring the reds, while whites skew toward buttery Chardonnays and safe Pinot Grigios. There's a token nod to France—probably a Bordeaux blend in the $80 range and a Châteauneuf-du-Pape that's been on the list since Obama's first term. The Southern cuisine here deserves more adventurous pairings, but the list plays it relentlessly safe.

Glass pours are limited but functional—expect five to seven options that rotate seasonally if you're lucky, though more likely they're the same standbys year-round. You'll find a house Chardonnay, a house red blend (probably from Columbia Valley), and maybe a rosé in summer. Pours are generous, which softens the $12-15 price point, but don't expect anyone to talk you through aromatics or suggest food pairings unprompted.