Great Beer Town, Wrong Stop for Wine
Downtown / Massachusetts Street · Lawrence · American Brewpub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Free State Brewing Company’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Free State feels like it was assembled during a quick trip down the grocery store aisle — Meiomi, Apothic, Cupcake, KJ Chard. These are fine wines for a Tuesday night at home, but at a landmark Lawrence institution with serious craft beer cred, the bar deserves better. If you came here for wine, someone steered you wrong.
Six wines, all from California, zero producers that would raise an eyebrow in a good way. The list is Meiomi Pinot Noir, Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay, Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio, Apothic Red, Cupcake Moscato d'Asti, and La Marca Prosecco — a lineup so familiar it could be printed on a Costco receipt. There's no regional curiosity, no nod to Pacific Northwest producers beyond the broadest label geography, and nothing that suggests anyone spent more than fifteen minutes curating this. The wine program exists here because it has to, not because anyone wants it to.
All six selections are available by the glass, priced between $7 and $9, which is honestly the only thing this list has going for it. Rotation appears nonexistent — this is a set-it-and-forget-it situation. Don't expect anything new next visit, or the one after that.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay — $8
At 62% markup over a $13 retail bottle, this is the most honest pour on the list. KJ Chard is what it is — clean, lightly oaked, crowd-friendly — and at $8 a glass you're not getting fleeced. It's the least offensive choice if wine is what you need.
La Marca Prosecco
Hear us out: La Marca is the most drinkable thing on this list and nobody orders sparkling at a brewpub. It's bright, low-alcohol, and cuts through fried food better than any of the reds here. Grab a glass with the beer-battered onion rings and you'll accidentally have a good time.
Apothic Red Blend
Sweet, jammy, built for people who don't really like wine — and at a 45% markup over a $11 retail bottle, you're paying restaurant prices for a supermarket brand that was never impressive to begin with. Just order a pint of their flagship Ad Astra Ale and be happier.
La Marca Prosecco + Beer-Battered Onion Rings
The bubbles and bright acidity in the Prosecco cut straight through the grease of the batter and the sweetness of the onion. It's a better pairing than anything else on this list, and it's genuinely fun. Sometimes the right answer is fizz and fried food.
❌ The Bottom Line
Free State is a Kansas institution and one of the best craft beer experiences in the Midwest — come for the beer, stay for the burger, and leave the wine to someone else. The list is fine in the way a gas station sandwich is fine: it exists, it won't hurt you, but it's not why you're here.
West Lawrence · Lawrence · American bar & grill
Set'em Up Jacks is a great sports bar that has absolutely no interest in being a wine destination, and that's fine — but don't come here thirsty for anything other than beer. Order the wings, grab a pint, and leave the wine list for the person who forgot to bring cash for a cocktail.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Lawrence · Lawrence · Italian
Basil Leaf isn't a wine destination, but with half-price bottle nights on Thursdays and Sundays and markups that are genuinely fair, it's the rare neighborhood Italian where you won't resent your wine bill. Order the Chianti, get the pasta, come back on Sunday.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
University of Kansas Campus / The Oread · Lawrence · Rooftop Bar / American
Nest on Ninth is a view bar with a wine list that does its job without embarrassing itself — fair prices, recognizable pours, and nothing to get excited about. Come for the rooftop, order the AIX Rosé, and don't expect more than that.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Lawrence · Lawrence · Tex-Mex
Cactus Grill is genuinely fun for what it is — a casual Tex-Mex spot with solid food and good margaritas — but the wine list is purely ornamental. Come for the tacos, drink the cocktails, and don't overthink the wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / 9th & Massachusetts · Lawrence · European-style café, coffee and cocktail bar
The Bourgeois Pig isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — and that's what makes the wine list a pleasant surprise rather than an embarrassment. If you're in the neighborhood for coffee or cocktails and the mood strikes, the rosé is a legit pour at a fair price.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Massachusetts Street · Lawrence · Wine Bar / New American Small Plates
Meadowlark is punching so far above its weight class for a college town wine bar that it almost feels unfair to the rest of Kansas. The list is small but the vision is sharp — if you're anywhere near Lawrence and care even a little about natural wine, you owe this place a visit.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Newberry Road / Oaks Mall · Gainesville · American Brewpub
BJ's is a brewhouse, full stop — the wine program is an afterthought wearing a price tag. Come for the beer, stay for the Pizookie, and save your wine curiosity for literally anywhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Jackson · Jackson Hole · American Brewpub
Come here for the craft beer — seriously, that's the move. If your table insists on wine, the Santa Margherita won't embarrass anyone, but there's no version of this wine list that earns a recommendation on its own merits.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Inman Park · Atlanta · American Brewpub
Wrecking Bar is proof that a serious beer program and a thoughtful wine list aren't mutually exclusive — this is one of the more interesting 37-bottle lists in Atlanta, full stop. If you're eating here, skip the obvious and dig into the Riesling section.
Small but Thoughtful
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.