Jazz, Lamb, and California Cab Done Right
Downtown Nashville · Nashville · American, French · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Gannons Nashville’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Gannons lands like a confident handshake — nothing shocking, but clearly put together by people who know what they're doing. For a hotel restaurant in downtown Nashville, this is punching well above its weight class. Wine Spectator handed them an Award of Excellence in 2025, and honestly, it checks out.
The list runs 150–250 bottles deep with a clear California-France-Italy axis that feels intentional rather than lazy. California Cab dominates the conversation — Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak, Dominus, Opus One — it's a who's-who of the Napa establishment, which will thrill half the room and bore the other half. Italy gets respectable treatment with Antinori Tignanello, Gaja Barbaresco, and Sassicaia making appearances that remind you this isn't just a steakhouse list. France shows up with Château Margaux and Louis Jadot Burgundy, though the depth there could use some stretching — a few more grower Champagnes or Loire picks would round it out nicely.
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is a genuinely strong program, especially for a Nashville hotel dining room. At $12–$22 a pour, you're not getting gouged on individual glasses, and the range seems broad enough to navigate without defaulting to the house Chardonnay. We'd steer toward the Kistler Chardonnay by the glass if it's available — that's a serious pour at any price.
Louis Jadot Burgundy — $12–$22 by the glass
In a list heavy with big Napa names, Jadot's Burgundy is the quiet overachiever — classic Pinot structure, food-friendly acidity, and a name that won't require an explanation to your tablemate. It's the kind of glass that makes the whole dinner feel more intentional.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay
Most people at this table are reaching for Silver Oak. Meanwhile, Chateau Montelena — the bottle that put California Chardonnay on the map at the 1976 Paris Tasting — is sitting right there. It's restrained, mineral, and about as historically significant as white wine in America gets. Don't sleep on it.
Opus One
Opus One is a fine wine, but it's also the most marked-up Bordeaux blend on every restaurant list in America. You're paying a hefty premium for a name that everyone recognizes. At a hotel restaurant, the margin on this bottle will sting. The Dominus gives you a similar Napa-meets-Bordeaux story with less logo tax.
Antinori Tignanello + New Zealand Rack of Lamb
Tignanello is a Sangiovese-Cabernet blend with enough structure and dark cherry backbone to stand up to lamb without steamrolling the delicate herb crust. The wine's savory, earthy edge is practically made for rack of lamb — it's one of those pairings that makes you feel like you planned the whole evening around it.
The Bottom Line
Gannons is a reliable, well-curated wine destination dressed in hotel restaurant clothing — the sommelier team knows the list, the glass pour selection is strong, and the Italian and French highlights give it more personality than the Napa-heavy surface suggests. The markups lean steep, but the execution earns its Wine Spectator badge. We'd send a friend here.
Nashville · Nashville · Steakhouse
STK Nashville is a nightclub that serves steaks and has a wine list to match the energy — loud, familiar, and not particularly interested in your education. Come for the scene, order the bottle that sounds good to you, and don't expect the list to surprise you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Nashville · American Grille
Del Frisco's Grille Nashville is coasting hard on brand recognition with a wine list that a decent gastropub would be embarrassed by. Swing by for happy hour, grab a $10 pour, and don't expect anyone to help you think about what you're drinking.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Nashville · Nashville · Southern American, Steakhouse
Deacon's won't expand your wine horizons, but if California Cabernet with your steak is the plan — and in Nashville, it often is — Andrew Lizardo's program delivers with confidence. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is earned, even if the list plays it safe.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
West End · Nashville · Seafood
Halls Catch is the right call for a Nashville seafood dinner when you want a wine list that won't embarrass you — just don't come looking for adventure outside the California zip codes. Send a friend here if they love Napa and know what they're ordering; send them somewhere else if they want to explore.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Green Hills · Nashville · Seafood, Steakhouse
Char is a dependable, well-executed steakhouse wine list that's built for crowd-pleasing, not adventuring — if California Cabernet is your comfort zone, you'll be happy here. Send a friend who wants a reliable pour with a prime cut; don't send the friend who just got back from a natural wine bar in Copenhagen.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Nashville · Nashville · Italian
Yolan is the best wine program in Nashville and it's not particularly close — the depth, the producers, the staff, and the setting all show up at the same time. Yes, the markups sting, but you're not here to find a bargain; you're here to drink Barolo properly.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Huntly · Huntly · American, French
Houndstooth is the kind of place you'd never stumble across, which is exactly why we're telling you about it. Drive out, let someone else drive back, and let the list do the work.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Huntington Beach · Huntington Beach · American, French
Henry's is a reliable, well-tended California wine program with a genuine expert behind it — not flashy, but consistently good. If you're eating on PCH and want a bottle that was actually chosen with care, this is your spot.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
West Fargo · West Fargo · American, French
Maxwells is the kind of wine program that earns real respect in context — a thoughtfully stocked, sommelier-guided list in a city where 'wine program' often means a Merlot and a Pinot Grigio. If you're passing through West Fargo or lucky enough to live there, this is where you drink.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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