Fondue and Napa Cabs, Surprisingly Well Done
Lincoln Park · Chicago · Fondue · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 13, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Geja's Cafe’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Geja's is a little like stepping into a 1970s European wine cave — candlelit, intimate, with live classical guitar setting the mood before you've even opened the menu. The wine list lands with the same energy: California-heavy, comfortable, and clearly built to complement a long, leisurely fondue dinner rather than challenge anyone's palate. It's not trying to be a wine bar, and that's fine — but it does have a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence to back up the effort.
The list runs 100 to 150 bottles and leans hard into California, with Napa Valley Cabernet and Chardonnay doing most of the heavy lifting. You'll find recognizable names — Jordan, Stag's Leap, Robert Mondavi, Duckhorn, Rombauer — which tells you the list was built for the guest who wants something familiar and trustworthy rather than something adventurous. There's not much beyond California here, which keeps things simple but limits the fun for anyone wanting to explore. That said, the producers are solid and the selections are well-matched to a protein-forward, cheese-laden fondue menu.
By-the-glass options sit in the 10 to 20 range, which is respectable for a restaurant of this size and format. The pours skew toward the same California anchors as the bottle list, so don't expect a Grüner Veltliner or a Beaujolais showing up on the chalk board. Wednesday's half-price wine night is genuinely the move here — it's one of the better recurring deals you'll find in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.
Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cépages Sonoma 2021 — $85
A Sonoma Meritage blend from one of the valley's most consistent producers, $85 is the most honest price point on the list and gives you a structured, food-friendly red that holds up across every course of the fondue progression.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2020
The Artemis gets overshadowed by flashier Napa names on lists like this, but it's a textbook Lincoln Park dinner wine — polished, reliable, and approachable enough that you won't be thinking about the wine when you should be thinking about the beef tenderloin.
Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2021
At $175, this is the kind of bottle that looks impressive on a check and delivers diminishing returns in a candlelit fondue setting. Far Niente is a great wine, but you're paying a significant premium for the name in a room where the dipping sauces are the real star.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2020 + Beef Tenderloin Filet Fondue
Jordan's soft tannins and dark fruit profile are basically designed for a slow-cooked beef situation — it doesn't fight the broth, it complements the char on the tenderloin, and it stays smooth through a two-hour dinner without ever getting in the way.
Wednesday — Half-price wine bottles every Wednesday — the best reason to pick a midweek dinner date at Geja's.
The Bottom Line
Geja's is a date-night institution in Chicago for good reason, and the wine list — while California-safe and a touch steep — is earnest enough to earn its Wine Spectator credential. Come on a Wednesday, order the Jordan, and let the classical guitar do the rest.
· Chicago · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão Chicago's wine list is built for throughput, not discovery — it's reliable, reasonably ranged by the glass, and anchored by South American selections that at least make thematic sense with the food. The markups are steeper than we'd like and the list won't excite anyone who drinks wine as seriously as they eat meat, but the Catena Malbec and the Bodega Garzón Albariño are legitimate picks that rise above the crowd-pleaser baseline. Come for the churrasco, drink the Catena, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
River North · Chicago · Seafood
A seafood house with a long, mixed list: a Seafood Whites section, Burgundy and Napa depth, and 22 pours by the glass. Order the Marc Brédif "Royal Oyster" Muscadet with a half dozen oysters, or start with the $11/glass Charles de Fère, and confirm current prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
River North · Chicago · Mediterranean, Steakhouse
A Napa-heavy bottle list with a real Greek section and a short, priced glass board. Start with the $10 happy-hour Vermentino or, if you are staying for dinner, the AA Sigalas Assyrtiko at $75, and confirm prices and availability when you sit down. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Magnificent Mile · Chicago · Mediterranean
A 38-pour glass list with unpriced Champagne and Burgundy-heavy bottle pages behind it. Start with the $14 Tiberio Trebbiano or the $15 Thymiopoulos Assyrtiko, and ask for bottle prices because the posted bottle pages carry none. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks menu, not service, storage or markups.
Fulton Market · Chicago · Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
A Mediterranean list built around Greece and Lebanon, with 18 wines on the by-the-glass pages. Start with the Kalokaíri rosé (16 / 64) or the Chateau Musar "Jeune Rouge" (19 / 76), and confirm current vintages and prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
River North · Chicago · American
A short 14-wine list, with most price pairs between $13 and $15 and four single-price wines at $72 to $80. Order the Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling at $13 | 50, or the Provence rosé if you want the one French wine, and ask which number is the glass price. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Riverwalk · Tulsa · Fondue
For a fondue night, start with the J. Lohr Chardonnay Riverstone at $9 for 6oz, or share the Misfits and Mavens Pinot Noir at $48 per bottle. The beverage page says it was updated 4/2026, so confirm what is available when you order. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or retail markups.
Central Park · Fredericksburg · Fondue
The Melting Pot Fredericksburg is a perfectly fine place to drink wine — as long as you're not coming for the wine. The list keeps up with the experience without elevating it, and you'll leave full and content, which is honestly what most people at this table are here for.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Arlington · Arlington · Fondue
The Melting Pot Arlington isn't a wine destination, but the Monday-through-Thursday half-price bottle deal makes it a legitimately good value if you time your visit right. Send a friend here for the fondue experience, just remind them to go on a weeknight.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
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