Bubbles Up Front, Surprises in the Back
Chapel Hill · New American / Wine Bar · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 17, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Flair Restaurant & Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The list is short — 18 labels — but it's clearly been curated with intention rather than just grabbed off a distributor sheet. The sparkling section alone runs from Lunetta Prosecco all the way up to Dom Pérignon, which tells you something about who they're trying to please. It's a wine bar that takes its bubbles seriously, even if the rest of the list is still finding its footing.
Flair leans hard into sparkling and white wines, and honestly that focus works in a list this size. You've got solid Burgundy representation with the Sebastian Magnien Haut Côtes de Beaune and Domaine Pascal Berthier Mâcon-Chaintré, plus an Eric Louis Sancerre that earns its place next to three different Chardonnay options including the Ramey and Mer Soleil Reserve. The Pinot Gris and Grigio section is a little redundant — Sokol Blosser, Pighin, and Terlato all doing roughly the same job — and red wine lovers are basically an afterthought here. If you came looking for a Barolo or a Napa Cab, this isn't your night.
Six pours by the glass at $13–$15 is a reasonable range for Chapel Hill, though we'd like to see a bit more transparency about which six rotate into that slot. The sparkling options likely anchor the BTG program given how prominently they feature on the list. What we'd really want here is a dedicated BTG board with vintage info — right now it feels like the by-the-glass program is an afterthought to the bottle list.
Domaine Pascal Berthier Mâcon-Chaintré 'Roxanne' — $40
Southern Burgundy Chardonnay at a price point that makes sense — it drinks with more character and minerality than anything from Mer Soleil or Matanzas Creek at a similar or higher ask. This is the bottle that makes the list worth exploring.
Cascina San Lorenzo Moscato d'Asti 'Lunatico'
Most people scroll past Moscato d'Asti without a second look. Don't. Cascina San Lorenzo is a serious Piedmontese producer, and 'Lunatico' is a far cry from the sugary stuff that gave the category a bad name — it's delicate, barely fizzy, and genuinely interesting.
Dom Perignon Brut Champagne
At $295, you're paying a significant premium over retail on a bottle that's become more status symbol than wine discovery. The Taittinger 'La Française' and even the Veuve Yellow Label will give you a better experience-per-dollar in this setting — save the Dom for somewhere with the cellar and service to justify it.
Eric Louis Sancerre + Globally inspired seafood starter
A Loire Valley Sancerre with its signature citrus snap and chalky mineral finish is the move against any light seafood or herb-forward dish on a New American menu. It's the kind of pairing that makes the table stop talking and start paying attention to what's in their glass.
The Bottom Line
Flair is a small but genuinely considered wine list in a town that doesn't always demand that level of effort — if you're there for bubbles and whites, you'll find something worth ordering. Just don't show up expecting a deep cellar, and maybe skip the Dom unless someone else is paying.
Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill · Contemporary American / Casual Fine Dining
Hawthorne & Wood isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's doing more than most comparable spots in the area — the list is curated, the glass selection is generous, and a few real gems are hiding in plain sight. Send your friends here with instructions to order the Txakolina and the Rioja and ignore the Cab.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill · Seafood and Oyster Bar
Squid's isn't a wine destination, but it's a very good seafood restaurant with a list that doesn't get in its own way — and that Tuesday half-price bottle deal makes it a legitimate reason to show up on a weeknight. Come for the oysters, order the Sauvignon Blanc, and enjoy yourself.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill · Seafood-focused American grill
Bonefish Grill Chapel Hill is a reliable spot if you want a decent glass of wine with your seafood and zero surprises. Don't come here expecting discovery — come here expecting competence, and you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill · Italian
Carrabba's Chapel Hill isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — and with $10 off bottles on Wednesdays, it earns its place as a dependable neighborhood dinner with a list that won't embarrass you. Come for the pasta, take the deal, order the Montepulciano.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Mount Moriah · Chapel Hill · Steakhouse, American
Outback's wine list is a chain-steakhouse placeholder — functional, familiar, and deeply uninspired. Order a cocktail, enjoy the Bloomin' Onion, and save your wine curiosity for a restaurant that shares it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westgate · Chapel Hill · Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi
Kanki is a great place for a birthday dinner, a family outing, or watching a chef flip a shrimp into your mouth — the wine list is not the reason you're here, and it doesn't pretend to be. Order the sake, enjoy the show, and save the serious wine drinking for another night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ann Arbor · New American / Wine Bar
Spencer is a reliable wine bar doing exactly what it sets out to do — give Ann Arbor diners a comfortable, recognizable list with enough options to make everyone at the table happy. Just watch the by-the-glass pricing on the upper end, and let the Idlewild be your little secret.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Santa Ana · New American / Wine Bar
Darkroom is punching well above its weight class for a 14-bottle program — the selection is sharp, the pricing is honest, and the list has a clear point of view. Send a wine-curious friend here and tell them to ask for the Riesling.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Route 1 / MarketFair · Princeton · New American / Wine Bar
Seasons 52 Princeton is a reliable wine stop for anyone who wants a wide-open by-the-glass menu, fair pricing, and zero surprises — in a good way and a bad way. Send a friend here if they're still figuring out what they like; send a wine nerd somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
