Radikon on Rainey Street? Yes, Really.
Rainey Street · Austin · Farm to Table · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed April 27, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Emmer & Rye’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into a cozy Rainey Street spot expecting craft cocktails and sourdough, and the wine list quietly hands you Clos Rougeard and Radikon like it's no big deal. This is not a typical Austin restaurant wine list. Someone here is paying serious attention.
The 150-200 bottle list reads like it was built by people who actually drink adventurously — France anchors the whole thing with Domaine Weinbach from Alsace, Domaine Leflaive from Burgundy, and Clos Rougeard from the Loire, while Italy gets a genuinely exciting slot with Radikon and Ganevat representing the kind of oxidative, skin-contact edge most Austin restaurants wouldn't dare touch. California shows up with Arnot-Roberts and Matthiasson, which signals a natural wine sensibility rather than a Napa trophy-hunting approach. The Jura gets a seat at the table via Ganevat, which alone puts this list in rare company for Texas. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence — earned since 2023 — feels well-deserved here.
Twelve to eighteen pours by the glass at $12-$20 is a respectable range, and given the bottle list's personality, there's real hope the glass program rotates with the same adventurous instinct. If Amber Goodwin or Kate Harrington have anything to say about it, you won't be stuck with generic Pinot Grigio.
Arnot-Roberts (California) — $45-$60 (est. bottle)
Arnot-Roberts bottles land in the kind of price band where you're getting a seriously food-forward, high-quality California producer without paying Napa prestige tax. At a restaurant that could easily charge more and get away with it, this is the move.
Radikon (Friuli)
Most tables will scroll right past this — amber wine from Friuli doesn't scream 'safe choice' at a farm-to-table dinner. That's exactly why you order it. Radikon is one of the founding names in skin-contact wine and finding it on a list in Austin is genuinely surprising. Don't let it sit unordered.
Domaine Leflaive (Burgundy)
Leflaive is a legendary Burgundy producer and we're not questioning the wine — but white Burgundy at restaurant markup is a brutal proposition for your wallet. You're almost certainly paying a significant premium for the prestige. The rest of this list has better value plays.
Ganevat (Jura) + Cacio e pepe
Ganevat's Jura whites carry a savory, oxidative quality with enough acidity to cut through the fat of a butter-and-cheese-forward pasta. The nuttiness plays against the black pepper in a way that feels deliberate, even if it looks accidental.
The Bottom Line
Emmer & Rye is doing something genuinely rare in Austin: running an adventurous, well-sourced wine program inside a restaurant that leads with food, not hype. Send your wine-curious friends here and tell them to ask the staff what's interesting right now.
· Austin · Steakhouse
Perry's is a competent steakhouse wine program that won't embarrass you, but it won't thrill you either. The by-the-glass breadth is the real story here — 37 options gives you room to explore without committing to a bottle. Just don't come expecting adventurous picks or fair markups across the board; come expecting a list that gets the job done for a celebratory dinner without too much fuss.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Austin · Seafood Steakhouse
Truluck's Austin runs a by-the-glass program that genuinely outperforms what most standalone seafood houses manage, with producers like Markus Molitor and Drouhin-Vaudon sitting next to the expected California lineup. Pricing is fair without being flashy. If you're eating seafood and want to drink well without committing to a bottle, this list has you covered — just work through the whites and bubbles and don't let the Napa trophy bottles at the top drain your wallet.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Austin · Upscale American Seafood and Steakhouse
Eddie V's is a reliable wine destination in the sense that a well-pressed suit is reliable — it won't let you down, but it won't make anyone's year-end list either. If you're on a date, celebrating something, or just need a wine program that won't embarrass you in front of a client, this is a safe and comfortable call. Just don't expect to find anything that makes you pull out your phone to take a note.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Austin · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão Austin is not a destination wine list, but it's a legitimately fair one — South American focus, honest prices, and a couple of genuine steals hiding in plain sight. If you're here for the espeto corrido experience, grab a VIK blend at $30 and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Austin · Steakhouse
ALC Steaks plays it safe and plays it competently — this is a wine list that serves the room without challenging it. If you know what you're looking for, there are smart picks buried in here; if you don't, you'll still drink fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Austin · Austin · American, Italian
Sammie's is a genuinely fun room with a wine list that's earned its Wine Spectator hardware — the Italian depth is real, the sommelier knows her stuff, and Monday half-price bottles might be the best deal in Austin. Just go in knowing the markups lean steep, and let Jenny point you toward the plays that aren't on the tourist track.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Delafield · Delafield · Farm to Table
I.d. is a comfortable, well-credentialed choice for wine in the Delafield area — the Wine Spectator recognition is earned and the list does its job without embarrassing anyone. Just don't come here looking to be challenged; come here looking to drink something familiar and good with a solid farm-to-table meal.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Chetek · Chetek · Farm to Table
A remote Wisconsin retreat with a Wine Spectator credential, an on-staff wine pro, and a focused California list is exactly the kind of unexpected find we love flagging. If you're making the trip to Canoe Bay — and it's worth making — the wine program won't let you down.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Delavan · Delavan · Farm to Table
Opus is the wine overachiever in a room that wasn't expecting one — a thoughtfully curated list in a historic Wisconsin inn that earns its Wine Spectator badge without relying on it as a crutch. If you're driving out to Delavan for a tasting menu, the wine list is a genuine reason to stay the full night.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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