Grand Setting, Grocery Store Wine List
Reynolda / North Winston-Salem · Winston Salem · Upscale American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 25, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You walk into one of the most storied estates in North Carolina — a 1932 Norman Revival manor house dripping in history — and then the wine list arrives. It's a short, familiar lineup that reads like the wine section at a mid-tier grocery chain. The setting deserves better.
At 20–30 bottles, this list punches well below its weight class for a property charging $25–$45 entrees. The California contingent is almost entirely Proverb, a mass-market label that has no business anchoring a fine dining program. There are a few legitimate names in the mix — J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cab, La Crema Chardonnay, Meiomi Pinot Noir — but these are supermarket staples, not destinations. The one international bright spot is Amore Di Amanti, an Italian red blend, but one interesting bottle does not a serious list make.
The by-the-glass program runs 8–12 options, which sounds generous until you see what's in the pour. Expect heavy rotation of Proverb varietals alongside The Pale Rosé and Prophecy Rosé for the pink crowd. There's no evidence of rotation or any effort to keep the glass pours fresh or seasonal.
J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon — null
Pricing wasn't confirmed, but Seven Oaks is the most recognizable quality producer on the list — consistent, food-friendly, and a known quantity at a winery that actually tries. If you're drinking red here, this is your move.
Amore Di Amanti
An Italian red blend in a sea of California mass-market — most tables will walk right past it. It's the one bottle on this list that shows even a flicker of curiosity, and at an estate dining room in Winston-Salem, that makes it genuinely interesting.
Proverb Cabernet Sauvignon
Proverb is a budget grocery-tier label. Ordering it at these price points means you're paying estate markups on a wine that retails under $10. Hard pass.
La Crema Chardonnay + Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass
La Crema's cool-climate Chardonnay — restrained, with good acidity and controlled oak — holds up against the richness of seared sea bass without drowning it. It's the most sensible pairing on the menu given what's available.
❌ The Bottom Line
Graylyn Estate is a genuinely beautiful place to have dinner, but the wine list is an afterthought in a room that deserves intention. Order the sea bass, grab the La Crema, and try not to think too hard about what this list could have been.
Clemmons · Winston Salem · New American
Sixty Vines is a solid, reliable wine stop in Winston-Salem — the by-the-glass breadth is real and the staff knows their stuff, but the list reads like a greatest hits album rather than anything adventurous. Come for the volume, stay for the pizza, but don't expect to have your mind changed about wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Winston Salem · Indian
Oh' Calcutta's wine list is unremarkable on its own — but Tuesday nights flip the script entirely, and a $19 Pinot Noir with lamb vindaloo is a genuinely good time. Come for the food, plan around Tuesday, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Winston Salem · American
Cin Cin isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but Wednesday half-price wine all day on bottles and glasses turns a generic list into a genuinely good deal with a burger in hand. Show up any other night of the week and order a beer.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Brookstown · Winston Salem · Italian
Quanto Basta punches above its weight for a mid-size Southern city Italian spot — the Italian-focused list is thoughtful, the prices are fair, and Thursday half-price bottles make it one of the best weekly wine deals in Winston-Salem. Come hungry, come on a Thursday, and order the Falanghina.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Silas Creek Pkwy · Winston Salem · Japanese / Sushi
Umi is a fun hibachi night out, and the wine pricing is honestly fairer than it has any right to be — but the list itself is an afterthought, and no amount of fair markup fixes a selection that's two bottles deep in personality. Order sake, or a cocktail, and come back to us when they add a Grüner Veltliner.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Reynolda Village · Winston Salem · American
Village Tavern Reynolda isn't a destination wine list, but it earns its keep with real range, at least one smart Italian pick, and a Wednesday half-price program that makes it genuinely worth planning around. Send a friend here on a Wednesday — tell them to order the Arneis.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Belmont Shore · Long Beach · Upscale American
Nick's on 2nd is a dependable neighborhood wine stop — solid list, familiar producers, nothing that'll blow your mind but nothing that'll disappoint a table of mixed drinkers. Send a friend here for a date night, just tell them to order the Duckhorn and leave the Jordan for someone else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Chevy Chase · Lexington · Upscale American
Coles 735 Main is doing real work on a wine list in a market that doesn't always demand it — a sommelier on staff, proper glassware, and genuine depth beyond the Napa greatest hits make it the best wine destination in Lexington by a comfortable margin. The markups are steep in spots and there's no specials program to speak of, but for a date night or a special occasion dinner in Kentucky, this is the room.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Jackson · Jackson Hole · Upscale American
The Blue Lion is a reliable wine program in a genuinely lovely setting — live guitar, historic house, serious game on the menu. The markup on some bottles is hard to forgive, but if you order with intention there are real wines here worth drinking. Send your friends, just brief them on what to avoid.
Solid Range
Steep
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.