Solid suburban pours, nothing to overthink
Northwest / West Circle · Rochester · American Contemporary · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 5, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Five West Kitchen + Bar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Five West is exactly what you'd expect from a polished suburban bar: familiar names, approachable prices by the glass, and zero surprises. It's not trying to be a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend otherwise. What you see is what you get — and honestly, for a Wednesday night burger and a glass of something red, that's fine.
Fifteen labels, all of them available by the glass — which tells you this list was built for the bar crowd, not the wine nerd. The California and French anchors are predictable: William Hill Chardonnay, Coppola Pinot Grigio, and a couple of Orin Swift bottles doing the heavy lifting on the red side. The Beach Rosé from Château d'Esclans is a legitimate inclusion, and Stoneleigh shows up as the lone New Zealand rep. There are no real regional surprises here — no domestic Pinot from Oregon, no Spanish Tempranillo, nothing that makes you lean in. It's a greatest hits compilation and it knows it.
The full list is available by the glass, which is convenient if not exactly exciting. At $8–$17 a pour, you're paying bar-district prices for grocery-aisle familiarity on most of the roster. The Orin Swift options top out at $17/glass, which is the ceiling here and probably where most tables land.
Chateau d'Esclans The Beach Rosé — $13/glass
At $13 a glass, The Beach Rosé is the best reason to sit on this patio. It's a proper Provence rosé from a producer that actually knows what they're doing — dry, crisp, and miles above the usual pink options at places like this.
Orin Swift Abstract Red Blend
Most people here are ordering the Bloodlines Cab because it's familiar, but the Abstract — a Grenache-led Rhône-style blend — is the more interesting bottle. It's got more personality than anything else on the red side of this list and costs $2 less per glass.
Orin Swift Bloodlines Cabernet Sauvignon
At $65 a bottle, you're paying a significant premium for a wine that retails around $25. The markup here is hard to justify when you can drink it at home for a fraction of the price. Order by the glass if you must, but don't commit to the bottle.
Orin Swift Abstract Red Blend + Steak
The Abstract's dark fruit and soft tannins won't fight the steak the way an overextracted Cab would. It's a crowd-pleasing red with just enough backbone to hold up to red meat without requiring you to think too hard about it.
The Bottom Line
Five West is a perfectly competent neighborhood spot where the wine list does its job without embarrassing anyone. Don't come here chasing something rare — come for the patio, order The Beach Rosé, and call it a win.
· Rochester · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Rochester is a reliable if uninspired choice for wine with your steak — the Trimbach and Belle Glos are worth seeking out, but the pricing is corporate-tier steep and the list doesn't reward curiosity. Order the wine you know, enjoy the steak, and don't expect any surprises.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Rochester · Winery Tasting Room
Salem Glen is the Wild Card because almost nobody expects to find a legit wine experience in a barn outside Rochester — and yet here we are. If you're open to cold-climate grapes and a laid-back afternoon, it earns the trip.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
· Rochester · New American
Bleu Duck Kitchen isn't a wine destination, but it's doing more with its list than most restaurants in its zip code — and that Tuesday dinner-plus-bottle deal is legitimately one of the better mid-week moves in Rochester. Send a friend here if they want a real meal with real wine without a bill that requires a deep breath.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Rochester · Latin/Global Small Plates
Our Paladar's wine list is a small, well-edited card that takes its cues from the food and doesn't overstay its welcome. For Rochester, this is legitimately exciting — come for the small plates, stay because the Nebbiolo is actually on the menu.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Rochester · Brewpub/New American
Forager Brewery has no business having a wine list this interesting, and that's meant as a compliment. It's not deep enough to be a wine destination, but for Rochester, it's a legitimate wild card worth knowing about.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Rochester · Italian and wine bar
Sorellina's is doing something genuinely interesting for Rochester — a by-the-glass-forward Italian list with actual producers worth caring about at prices that won't make you wince. Send your wine-curious friends here and let them graze.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Sarasota · Sarasota · American Contemporary
We do not have enough verified venue or menu information to recommend wines from this listing or judge their value. Confirm the restaurant’s exact address and current menu before using any of the wine suggestions below.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Acceptable
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
West Side / Prairie Crossing · Springfield · American Contemporary
Cooper's Hawk Springfield is a well-run, fairly priced winery restaurant that delivers exactly what it promises — just don't expect anything outside the family. If you're dining with a group that wants wine without drama, the pricing alone makes it worth the stop.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Memorial Blvd / North Murfreesboro · Murfreesboro · American Contemporary
Primrose Table isn't a wine destination, but it's a genuinely solid neighborhood spot where you can drink well without getting gouged — especially on Thursdays. Show up then, order the Garnacha or the Chenin Blanc, and you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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