Columbia's Quiet Overachiever with 32 Glasses
The Vista · Columbia · Tapas & Wine Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 2, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Thirty-two wines by the glass at a tapas spot in Columbia, South Carolina — that's not an accident, that's a program. The list reads like someone actually gave a damn: rosés from the Loire, a Vin Santo that has no business being on a menu like this, and enough European depth to make you look twice. This isn't your standard restaurant wine afterthought.
The list leans Pan-European with smart New World cameos — you've got Faustino V Rioja Reserva 2018 sitting next to O.P.P. Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, and Le Fraghe Bardolino from Veneto alongside Barnard Griffin Rosé from Columbia Valley. The rosé section alone has four distinct options spanning France, Germany, and the Pacific Northwest, which signals real intent. There are gaps — no serious Burgundy or Barolo presence, and the red selection could go deeper — but for a tapas bar in the Vista, the range is genuinely impressive. The wildcard here is that Fattoria la Vialla Occhio di Pernice Vin Santo del Chianti 2015 quietly sitting at the end of the list like it's no big deal.
Thirty-two options by the glass is the headline, and it mostly delivers. Pricing runs $10–$15 for a full 5oz pour, with a half-glass option at $5–$7.50 that's actually smart for a tapas format where you want to taste across multiple wines with multiple plates. The selection rotates between crowd-pleasers like Ruffino Modus and more interesting picks like Punset Rosso from Neive — the range gives you room to explore without committing to a bottle.
Faustino V Rioja Reserva 2018 — $12/glass
A proper Tempranillo Reserva from Oyon with actual age on it — this is the kind of structured, earthy red that costs real money at a wine shop. Getting it by the glass at this price point is the move.
Fattoria la Vialla Occhio di Pernice Vin Santo del Chianti 2015
Almost nobody orders Vin Santo at a tapas bar because almost nobody knows to ask. This one from Fattoria la Vialla is a Tuscan dessert wine made from Sangiovese — amber, complex, and completely unlike anything else on this list. Order it with the cheese board and thank us later.
Bartenura Moscato 2024 Asti
At $14 a glass or $50 a bottle, you're paying tapas-bar markup on a grocery-store Moscato. Bartenura is fine for what it is, but it's widely available for a fraction of that, and there are far more interesting sweet or semi-sweet options elsewhere on this list.
Le Fraghe Bardolino 2024 Veneto + Charcuterie and cheese board
Bardolino is light, slightly savory, and low-tannin — it's basically built for cured meats and aged cheese. Le Fraghe makes one of the better versions out there, and at $15 a glass it's an easy yes when you're grazing across a charcuterie spread.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Gervais & Vine is punching above its weight class for a tapas spot in a mid-size Southern city — the by-the-glass program is genuinely thoughtful, the pricing is fair, and that Vin Santo alone earns it a second visit. Send your wine-curious friends here; just steer them away from the Moscato.
Forest Acres · Columbia · Contemporary American Bistro with Southern Influences
Tombo Grille isn't going to win any points for boldness, but it delivers exactly what Forest Acres wants: familiar wines, fair-enough execution, and a menu worth eating. Send a friend here for a reliable dinner out — just temper expectations if they're hoping to discover something new.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Irmo / Northwest Columbia · Columbia · Contemporary American-Italian
Travinia is a reliable neighborhood wine bar that gets the basics right — solid selection, good by-the-glass volume, food-friendly pours — without ever swinging for the fences. Send your friends here for a comfortable bottle with dinner, not for a wine discovery experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Sandhill · Columbia · Contemporary American-Italian
Travinia Sandhill is a reliable wine bar in a market that doesn't have many — not adventurous, not cheap, but consistent enough that you won't regret the reservation. Just steer clear of the obvious traps and you'll have a decent night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Columbia · Seafood
The Bluefish plays it safe and the pricing reflects more confidence than the list deserves, but the core selection is competent enough for a solid seafood dinner with the right pour. Stick to the whites, ask about the Albariño, and don't let anyone talk you into a $78 Cakebread.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
St Andrews · Columbia · Japanese, Sushi
Inakaya Watanabe is clearly a solid neighborhood sushi spot, and the food likely earns its loyal following — but the wine program is an afterthought that nobody has revisited in years. Come for the fish, order sake if they have it, and treat the wine list as a last resort.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
The Vista · Columbia · Asian / Sushi & Pan-Asian
M Vista's wine list is functional, fairly priced, and completely unambitious — which honestly fits the room. Send a friend here for sushi and a casual bottle of J Lohr; don't send them here expecting a wine experience.
Crowd Pleasers
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.