Birria and Burgundy? No, but close enough.
Capitol Hill · Seattle · Mexican
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Gordito's’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You come in for tacos and tequila — that's the pitch, that's the promise — and then you notice an 80-label wine list sitting quietly on the back of the menu like it has something to prove. For a lively, no-reservations taco spot in Capitol Hill, this is not what we expected. That's a good thing.
The list leans California and South America with a nod to Spain, which makes sense given the cuisine but also keeps things accessible without being lazy. Tablas Creek showing up on a birria menu is the kind of small surprise that earns goodwill fast — that's a Paso Robles producer with serious chops, not a bulk-wine filler. Achaval Ferrer Malbec from Mendoza is another smart pick: it's a name that wine drinkers recognize and respect. We'd love to see more depth in Spanish and Mexican wine specifically, since the cuisine calls for it, but what's here is genuinely curated.
Ten pours by the glass in the $10–$16 range is a respectable showing for a casual Mexican spot. The pricing keeps things approachable without bottoming out into house-wine purgatory. We don't have the full glass list in front of us, but at these price points, there's room to explore without committing to a bottle.
Achaval Ferrer Malbec 2020 — $62
Retail sits around $45, so the markup is under 40% — practically a gift by restaurant standards. This is a full-throttle Mendoza Malbec from one of Argentina's most consistent producers. Order it with the carnitas and don't overthink it.
Tablas Creek Esprit Blanc 2021
Most people at a taco spot are reaching for a margarita or a cold beer, which means this Rhône-style white from Paso Robles gets left on the shelf. That's a mistake. It's textured, aromatic, and built to handle spice and richness — exactly what's on this menu.
Tablas Creek Esprit Blanc 2021
At $55 on the list versus $38 retail, the markup is on the higher end of fair — nearly 45%. If you're watching your spend, this is the one to pass on in favor of the Malbec, which is marked up more gently. The wine itself is great; the math is just slightly less friendly.
Achaval Ferrer Malbec 2020 + Birria Tacos
Braised, chile-stewed beef needs a wine with enough fruit and body to stand up to it without fighting it. Achaval Ferrer's Malbec has the dark fruit and structure to match birria's richness while the consommé dipping cup does the rest of the work.
The Bottom Line
Gordito's is a taco spot that quietly takes wine more seriously than it has any obligation to, and we respect the hustle. The markups are fair, the picks are smart, and it's the kind of list that rewards the one person at the table who actually looks at it.
Belltown · Seattle · Pizza
Belltown Pizza's wine list won't be the reason you come back, but it also won't be the reason you're annoyed. Fair prices, local representation, and just enough Italian to make sense — it does the job without making you think too hard.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Eastlake · Seattle · Italian
Serafina is a reliable Italian neighborhood spot with a wine list that matches its ambitions — cozy, competent, and a little expensive for what it is. Send a friend here for the pasta and Nebbiolo, but warn them to steer clear of the Prosecco markups.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Capitol Hill · Seattle · French / Northwest Seafood and Wine Bar
Bar Melusine is what Capitol Hill needed more of: a focused, France-forward wine program that actually earns its place next to the food. If you're eating oysters in Seattle, this should be in your regular rotation.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Magnolia · Seattle · Italian
Picolinos is the kind of neighborhood Italian where the wine list genuinely backs up the food, and that's rarer than it should be. Send your friends here if they want a proper Barolo with their osso buco without flying to Turin.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pike Place Market · Seattle · Italian-American with Northwest influence
The Pink Door is a reliable wine list in a genuinely great room — the atmosphere does a lot of heavy lifting, and the wine program is good enough not to get in the way of a memorable evening. Just watch the markups, stick to the Italian bottles, and let the trapeze act do the rest.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Capitol Hill · Seattle · Modern steakhouse with French-influenced Pacific Northwest cuisine
Bateau is the rare steakhouse where the wine list earns as much attention as what's on the butcher board. Markups keep it from being a total steal, but the depth, the staff, and the Pacific Northwest-first perspective make this one worth the splurge.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· 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
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