Tequila Joint That Actually Tried With Wine
Downtown · Stamford · Southwestern / Mexican · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 1, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into Geronimo expecting tequila flights and margaritas — and yeah, that's mostly what's happening here. But the wine list, all 11 bottles of it, is quietly doing something more interesting than the room suggests. It's not an afterthought; somebody made deliberate choices.
Eleven labels sounds thin, but the curation skews smart. Spain and Argentina anchor the list — Conde Valdemar's Tempranillo Blanco from Rioja is a genuinely unusual inclusion for a taco-and-guac spot, and the La Val Albariño signals real thought about what works with spicy, citrus-forward food. Italy shows up with Angelini Pinot Grigio and a Monsignore Moscato d'Asti, which is either a bold move or a concession to sweet-wine regulars. The Catena 'High Mountain' Cab is the one bottle that feels a bit out of place — it's a fine wine, just not the natural fit for this menu. No domestic heavyweights, no obvious filler Malbec, which is refreshing.
Every single bottle on the list is also available by the glass, which is either generous programming or evidence that there's no by-the-bottle cellar program to speak of. Either way, it means you can graze — start with the Albariño, see how it plays against your guacamole, and pivot if needed. Rotation appears minimal, so don't expect surprise additions week to week.
La Val Albariño — null
No price confirmed in the data, but Albariño at a Southwestern bar is almost always underpriced relative to what it delivers — crisp, saline, high-acid, and genuinely ideal with anything coming off this kitchen. Best functional wine on the list.
Conde Valdemar Rioja Tempranillo Blanco
White Tempranillo is a rare and genuinely weird grape choice — most people have never seen it and will scroll right past it. It's a low-tannin, aromatic white from Rioja that bridges the gap between the reds people reflexively order and the whites the food actually calls for. Order it before someone else figures it out.
Zonin Prosecco Rosé
Zonin is a volume producer and this is the least interesting wine on a list that actually has some personality. Freixenet Cava Brut is right there if you want bubbles — better structure, better value story, and more honest about what it is.
La Val Albariño + Guacamole and Salsa
Albariño's bright acidity and saline edge cut through the fat of the avocado and amplify the lime and cilantro instead of fighting them. It's the same reason Albariño works with seafood — fresh, clean, and it gets out of the way.
The Bottom Line
Geronimo is a tequila bar first and a wine destination never — but for what it is, the wine list punches above its weight class. If you're the one at the table who doesn't want a margarita, you're not stranded here.
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Crab Shell's wine list won't win any awards, but it's priced fairly, matched to the menu, and doesn't try to be something it isn't. Send a friend here for cold seafood and a bottle of the Macon-Lugny — they'll be happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Stamford · Italian
Ernie's has no business being this interesting about wine, and that's exactly why you should go. It's a tight, weird, well-priced list in a format nobody expects — and that's the whole point of a Wild Card.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Stamford · Peruvian
Fiesta on Main puts real effort into its Peruvian kitchen, which makes the wine list feel like an afterthought someone assembled in fifteen minutes using a Sysco catalog. Stick to pisco sours — the wine program isn't the reason to come here.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Stamford · American / Grill
Zody's is a great spot for a cold beer after nine holes and a plate of comfort food — but if wine is your thing, order a cocktail instead. The list isn't broken, it just doesn't try.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Stamford · Wine Bar / New American
Uncorked Stamford is a reliable landing pad after work — not a destination for serious wine drinking, but a competent, comfortable room with a list that does its job. Send a friend here for drinks before dinner, not for the bottle list itself.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Stamford · Greek
Kouzina is doing the right things with Greek wine in a city that doesn't ask for it, and that's worth something. Pricing runs a little hot, but if you stick to the Greek producers and let the Assyrtiko do its thing, you'll eat and drink well.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Uptown/Stockade District · Kingston · Southwestern / Mexican
Santa Fe Uptown is a legitimately fun place to eat — the food gets real love, the room has energy, and the margaritas are probably doing heavy lifting at most tables. Come for the tacos and the vibe, order a cocktail, and treat the wine list as exactly what it is: background noise.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Las Colinas · Irving · Southwestern / Mexican
Via Real is a reliable pick when someone else is choosing the restaurant — the wine list is safe, priced on the steeper side, and built for the business-dinner crowd that just wants something familiar and good. Don't come hunting for discovery; come knowing what you want and you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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