State College's Quiet Fine-Dining Wine Anchor
Toftrees · State College · Upscale Contemporary American and European with French Influences · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Grace Restaurant at Carnegie House’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 Grace arrives the way the room feels — composed, unhurried, and a little formal. It's the kind of list that signals effort without necessarily proving it; California and France anchor the selections, and the names are recognizable enough that nobody's going home confused. In a town dominated by game-day beer pitchers, this list stands out just by showing up dressed.
Grace leans on the greatest hits — Caymus Cabernet, Jordan Cabernet, Louis Jadot Burgundy, Far Niente Chardonnay — which tells you the kitchen is cooking for guests who want reassurance, not discovery. California dominates the reds, France handles the prestige column, and Italy and other international regions fill in the gaps without a lot of depth or surprise. There's nothing wrong here, but there's also nothing that makes a serious wine drinker lean forward. The list reads more like a curated hotel wine program than a restaurant that's truly passionate about the subject.
The by-the-glass program runs an estimated 12 to 20 options, which is a solid spread for a fine-dining room of this size in central Pennsylvania. Prices land in the $14–$22 range per glass, which is market-rate for the format but starts to sting given the markup on the underlying bottles. We'd want to see more rotation and a few under-the-radar pours to keep things interesting across multiple visits.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $55–$75 (estimated bottle)
Jordan consistently punches above its retail price point in terms of polish and drinkability, and it's one of the more fairly positioned bottles on a list that trends steep. If you're going red and want something the table will actually agree on, this is the move.
Louis Jadot Burgundy
Most guests at a room like this go straight for the California Cabs, which means the Jadot Burgundy gets overlooked. A Pinot-forward French option is genuinely rare on State College wine lists, and next to a duck preparation or a mushroom-forward pasta, it's the most interesting thing on the menu.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, and at fine-dining markups it rarely makes sense. You're paying a premium for a brand that's been chasing volume for years — the wine has gotten bigger and softer while the price has kept climbing. The Jordan nearby does the job better for the money.
Louis Jadot Burgundy + Duck preparation (seasonal French-inspired entrée)
Duck and red Burgundy is one of the more reliable combinations in French cooking — the wine's earthy, cherry-driven profile cuts through the richness of the bird without overwhelming it. Grace's French-influenced kitchen is exactly where this pairing gets a chance to shine.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Grace is the best wine list in the room, and in Toftrees that means something — but the pricing is stiff and the selections play it too safe to earn real enthusiasm. Send a friend here for a special occasion, not for a wine adventure.
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Steep
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