Rick Bayless Does Wine Right, Too
River North · Chicago · Mexican · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Frontera Grill’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
A Mexican restaurant that actually cares about wine — and not just as an afterthought. The list runs 75-100 bottles deep with a clear point of view: celebrate Mexican and Latin American producers while keeping the door open for smart international picks.
This is where Frontera earns its Wild Card badge. You'll find Valle de Guadalupe bottles sitting next to Alsatian Pinot Blanc and Central Otago Pinot Noir — an eclectic mix that somehow makes sense. The Mexico-forward approach is refreshing in a city where most restaurants default to the same Napa-Sonoma-Burgundy playbook. Alsace gets proper respect with Gustave Lorentz and Kessler Riesling, both smart choices for the bold, chile-forward menu. The list skews approachable with most bottles landing in the $50-65 range, though there are some gaps in the mid-tier Old World categories.
Six glasses is lean, but they're thoughtfully chosen. The 2023 Gustave Lorentz Pinot Blanc ($14) and Kessler Riesling are textbook picks for Mexican food — crisp, aromatic, built to handle spice. The Valle de Guadalupe pour ($15) gives you a taste of Mexico's wine country without committing to a full bottle. At $13-16, the pricing is fair for downtown Chicago.
2020 Foxglove Zinfandel, Paso Robles — $50
A $50 Zin that can stand up to carne asada and mole without breaking the bank — exactly what you want here
Valle de Guadalupe, B.C., Mexico
Most diners skip Mexican wine entirely, but Baja's wine country is producing serious stuff — this is your chance to try it without flying to Ensenada
2017 Peregrine Pinot Noir, Central Otago
At $65, it's the priciest bottle by the glass and Pinot rarely plays nice with bold Mexican flavors — save your money
2023 Gustave Lorentz Pinot Blanc, Alsace + Ceviche
Alsatian whites were born for citrus and seafood — the wine's stony minerality and bright acidity cut through lime and chile like a dream
The Bottom Line
Rick Bayless clearly put thought into this list, and it shows. The Mexico-centric approach is bold and overdue, markups are fair, and there's enough range to keep things interesting. Would we send a friend here for wine? Absolutely — especially if they're tired of drinking the same old Chardonnay with tacos.
Logan Square · Chicago · Italian
Come to Osteria Langhe for a focused trip through Piedmontese wine. Thursday’s advertised half-price selection is worth asking about, and Wednesday offers a wine pairing alongside the four-course menu. The linked wine list is dated December 2025, so confirm today’s bottles and prices before choosing.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Lincoln Park · Chicago · American Casual
Summer House is not a wine destination, but it's a reliable place to drink well enough without getting gouged on the low end — just steer clear of the big-name bottles where the markup climbs. Send your friend here if they want something easy and good; don't send them here if they're chasing something serious.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chicago · Italian
il Carciofo is doing something genuinely rare: building a wine list that treats Italian regional variety as the main event, not the footnote. If you're tired of the same Pinot Grigio and Chianti Classico circuit, this is exactly where you should be eating dinner.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Chicago · Chicago · Steakhouse
STK Chicago is here to sell you a night out, and the wine list is just part of the set dressing. If you care about what's in your glass, eat here for the steak and order water.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chicago · French Brasserie
La Grande Boucherie Chicago is a reliable wine destination for anyone who wants a French-focused list executed with genuine effort and the occasional smart value. The markups aren't shy, but the BTG program and specials take some of the sting out — go in with a plan and you'll drink well.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
· Chicago · Steakhouse
This is not the wine list you expect to find at The Palm, and that's exactly why it earns attention. Six bottles, zero filler, genuinely fair pricing — if someone's tending this list, they deserve a raise.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sedona · Mexican
89Agave is almost certainly a fun spot to eat — it's a cantina in Sedona, and the margaritas are probably doing the heavy lifting here anyway. The wine list, though, is purely functional and priced without much generosity, particularly at the higher end. If wine matters to your evening, order something simple by the glass and move on; this program isn't the reason to visit.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Murfreesboro · Mexican
Casa Tios is a Mexican restaurant that serves wine because people ask for it, not because anyone here is passionate about it. Order the margarita, or lean into the sangria — and save your serious wine night for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McKinney · Mexican
Mi Cocina McKinney put exactly zero thought into their wine program, and it shows in every predictable bottle on that nine-label list. Order a margarita and don't look back.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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