Cold Beer Town, Warm Wine List
Old Town Carmel · Carmel · American gastropub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Grindstone feels like it was assembled by someone who shops at Kroger and calls it a day. You're not here for the wine — you're here for the burger and a cold draft — and the list knows it. What you get is a parade of grocery store staples dressed up in a gastropub menu.
The list skews California-heavy with a nod toward Washington and France, but 'nod' is being generous. Meiomi, Josh Cellars, Kim Crawford, Apothic — these are the wines you've seen at every chain restaurant from here to Louisville. There's no regional intrigue, no interesting producer taking a risk, no reason a wine drinker would flip the page twice. The France and Washington presence appears to add some geographic variety on paper, but nothing in the data suggests anything adventurous is hiding back there.
Eight to twelve pours available, priced between $7 and $14, which sounds reasonable until you run the math. Every glass we found is marked up over 100% from retail — which is standard industry practice, sure, but when the wines are already mass-market brands, it stings a little more. There's no rotation, no seasonal pour, no reason to think anyone's curating this program with any real intention.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling Columbia Valley 2022 — $7
It's the cheapest pour on the menu and honestly the most interesting wine in the lineup. Ste. Michelle makes a reliably off-dry Riesling that's food-friendly and refreshing — and at $7 a glass, it's the one pick here that makes you feel like you got something.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling Columbia Valley 2022
Nobody at a gastropub orders Riesling — which is exactly why you should. It's the most thoughtful bottle on a short list, and it actually does something interesting next to fried food or spicy wings.
Apothic Red Winemaker's Blend California NV
Seven dollars for a bottle that retails for eleven and tastes like it was engineered in a lab to be inoffensive. There's nothing wrong with it, exactly — it's just wine-shaped grape juice with no reason to exist on a menu when better options are a dollar more.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2023 + Fish and Chips
Kim Crawford is a crowd-pleaser for a reason — that bright citrus snap and grassy edge cut right through the batter and fat in the fish and chips. It's not a profound pairing, but it works, and it's the most food-friendly move you can make on this list.
❌ The Bottom Line
Grindstone is a solid neighborhood spot for a burger and a beer, and the wine list doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't — but it also doesn't try. If wine is important to you tonight, order a cocktail instead.
North Meridian / 96th Street corridor · Carmel · Hotel Restaurant / American
Grille 39 is fine — and fine is the ceiling. If you're staying at the hotel and don't want to drive anywhere, the wine list will get you through dinner without incident. Just don't go out of your way for it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northwest Carmel · Carmel · Upscale Italian
Convivio is a reliable wine destination for Northwest Carmel — the Italian focus is coherent, the top-tier bottles are legitimate, and it'll satisfy most tables without complaint. The markups sting a bit and the list plays it too safe to earn a higher badge, but if you're in the neighborhood and want a proper bottle with dinner, you won't leave disappointed.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown Carmel · Carmel · American comfort with global-fusion influences
Aberdeen Social House is doing more with its wine list than the address or the concept would lead you to believe, and Rootstock's global curation keeps it from feeling like an afterthought. Not a destination wine program yet, but a genuinely solid call for the north side of Indy.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
City Center · Carmel · Cafe / New American
Café Patachou is a genuinely good café that simply doesn't care about wine — and that's fine, because neither does most of its lunch crowd. Come for the French toast, grab a Ramona if you need bubbles, and don't come here expecting anything resembling a wine program.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Carmel Arts & Design District · Carmel · Italian café and trattoria
Mezzo is a perfectly comfortable neighborhood Italian spot with a wine list that matches its vibe — approachable, familiar, and not trying too hard. If you know what you're doing, steer toward the Chianti Classico options and away from the marquee brands; if you don't, you'll still have a fine glass of wine with your pasta.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
City Center · Carmel · Italian / Steakhouse
Tucci's Carmel isn't trying to reinvent wine in Indiana, and that's fine — it's a reliable, Italian-focused list that does its job alongside good food. Show up on a Monday, grab a bottle of Tignanello at half price, and you're having a genuinely great night.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Chandler Fashion Center area · Chandler · American gastropub
Hop Social Tavern is not a wine destination — it's a beer bar that keeps a reasonable wine list for the people at the table who don't want beer. For that job, it does fine: fair prices, known producers, cold enough storage, and no obvious disasters. Order the Riesling or the Tempranillo, enjoy your burger, and let your friends argue about which IPA to order.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Turnagain / West Anchorage · Anchorage · American gastropub
Rustic Goat isn't your destination for a wine-forward dinner, but it's a genuinely fair list for a neighborhood spot doing wood-fired food in Anchorage. Send your friends here for dinner — just temper expectations on the wine and you'll leave happy.
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.