Polished list, suburban setting, solid execution
Cool Springs · Franklin · Globally inspired contemporary American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 12, 2026
RagingWine reviewed etch Franklin’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into etch Franklin at The Factory, the wine list lands with more confidence than you'd expect from a suburban Cool Springs dining room. Eighty-plus bottles spanning California, France, Spain, Italy, and Portugal signals that someone here actually cares. It's not trying to be a wine bar, but it's not phoning it in either.
The list does solid work across its core regions without getting weird about it — which is both its strength and its ceiling. California and France anchor things predictably, while the Spanish and Italian sections show a bit more range and personality. Portugal earns a quiet nod with dessert wine options that go beyond the usual port-by-default move. The gaps are real though: no notable depth in Burgundy or Rhône, and adventurous drinkers looking for natural pours or anything off the beaten path will come up empty.
Fifteen to twenty by-the-glass options is a respectable number for this market, and the sommelier on staff likely keeps the rotation from going stale. That said, we didn't find evidence of an active rotation or featured glass program — what's on the menu appears to be what's on the menu, full stop. It covers the bases without surprising you.
Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port (1oz pour add-on) — N/A
As a dessert add-on pour, this is genuinely great — LBV Port at this price point almost always over-delivers on richness and complexity relative to what you're spending. Finish your meal right.
Toro Albala Don PX 1999
A 1999 Don Pedro Ximénez from Toro Albala is liquid history — dense, raisined, almost impossibly concentrated. Most tables skip it because they don't know what it is. Don't be that table.
California Cabernet Sauvignon (by the glass)
The by-the-glass California Cab slot at restaurants like this almost always means a brand-name producer at a 4x markup. At $$$-level pricing in a suburban dining room, you're paying for the logo, not the wine. Step sideways into Spain or Portugal and get a better deal.
Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port + Dessert course (chef's selection)
The 1oz port add-on is designed to land alongside whatever dessert etch is running that night, and it works — Port's dark fruit and sweet density cut right through rich, chocolate-forward finishes without overwhelming them.
The Bottom Line
etch Franklin is a reliable, sommelier-backed wine program doing honest work in a market that doesn't demand it — respect that. Markups lean steep, but if you know where to look on this list, you'll drink well.
· Franklin · Steakhouse
Char is a genuinely enjoyable steakhouse with a wine list that does the job without doing much more. The room earns its keep; the wine program is still a passenger rather than a co-pilot. If you're coming here for the Prime beef and the atmosphere, you'll eat well — just don't expect the list to take you anywhere the food isn't already going. Worth a visit, but bring your own expectations in check at the wine menu.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Franklin · Asian Street Food
Hawkers Franklin is doing more with twelve bottles than most casual chains do with thirty. The white-heavy, aromatic-leaning list is clearly built with the food in mind — even if it was done at the corporate level rather than by someone in this specific kitchen. If you're eating here, lean into the Gamay or Vinho Verde and skip the impulse to order Cab. It won't change your life, but it'll make dinner better.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Franklin · Seafood
If you're here for wine, you're at the wrong restaurant — but the pricing is honest and the Sauvignon Blanc won't ruin your dinner. Order a cocktail and save your wine energy for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Franklin · Italian
This is a chain wine list doing exactly what chain wine lists do — keeping it safe, keeping it recognizable, and marking it up just enough to pad margins. Drink here because you're having dinner, not because you're having wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Franklin · Franklin · Hotel Restaurant / Southern
1799 is a solid option when you're already staying at The Harpeth or dining for the atmosphere — the Southern food looks genuinely good and the room earns its upscale-casual reputation. But if wine is your reason for going out, Franklin has better options; this list is there to serve the food, not the other way around.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Franklin · Italian
Pelato Franklin isn't going to make wine pilgrims drive down from Nashville, but it's doing more than the Italian-suburban average — an orange wine, some solid regional Italian whites, and a few California names that earn their spot. Come for the food, stay curious about the list.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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