The Wine List That Phoned It In
South / near Hwy 63 · Rochester · Casual American bar & grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 5, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ground Round Grill & Bar – Rochester’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Ground Round feels like an afterthought tucked between the beer specials and the loaded nachos. Sutter Home and Woodbridge are doing the heavy lifting here, which tells you everything you need to know before you even sit down. This is a place where wine exists because a restaurant has to have wine, not because anyone actually cares about it.
The list runs 15 to 25 bottles and leans almost entirely on California mass-market producers and a token New Zealand entry in Kim Crawford. There's no depth to speak of — no regional variety, no interesting producers, nothing that would make a wine-curious diner pause and explore. Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi and Sutter Home are reliable enough as grocery store standbys, but at restaurant markup they lose whatever modest value proposition they carry off the shelf. If you came here hoping to find something worth talking about, the list will disappoint you quickly.
Six to ten pours by the glass sounds reasonable until you realize the options are essentially variations on the same theme — Sutter Home, Woodbridge, Kim Crawford, and a handful of similar crowd-pleasers. There's no rotation to speak of and no indication that the glass program gets any real attention. Order the beer.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc — null
If you're going to drink wine here, Kim Crawford is the most defensible pick — it's a clean, consistent pour that at least delivers what it promises. Pricing data wasn't available, but it's the one bottle on the list with some actual character relative to its peers.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
In a lineup dominated by Sutter Home and Woodbridge, Kim Crawford is the closest thing to a genuine wine on the list. Most people ordering wine here will default to something red and regret it — the Sauvignon Blanc is the only bottle that feels like it was chosen rather than just assigned.
Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi
Woodbridge is a $8 bottle at Target. Whatever Ground Round charges for it at the table, you're paying a steep premium for something that has no business being marked up at all. Pass.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc + Chicken Wings
The bright acidity and citrus snap in the Kim Crawford actually cuts through the fat and sauce on a plate of wings better than anything else on this list. It's not a sophisticated pairing, but it works, and that's about the highest bar we're setting here.
The Bottom Line
Ground Round is a solid spot for a burger and a beer — lean into that and don't look at the wine list. If someone at your table insists on wine, point them toward the Kim Crawford and move on.
· Rochester · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Rochester is a reliable if uninspired choice for wine with your steak — the Trimbach and Belle Glos are worth seeking out, but the pricing is corporate-tier steep and the list doesn't reward curiosity. Order the wine you know, enjoy the steak, and don't expect any surprises.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Rochester · Winery Tasting Room
Salem Glen is the Wild Card because almost nobody expects to find a legit wine experience in a barn outside Rochester — and yet here we are. If you're open to cold-climate grapes and a laid-back afternoon, it earns the trip.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
· Rochester · New American
Bleu Duck Kitchen isn't a wine destination, but it's doing more with its list than most restaurants in its zip code — and that Tuesday dinner-plus-bottle deal is legitimately one of the better mid-week moves in Rochester. Send a friend here if they want a real meal with real wine without a bill that requires a deep breath.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Rochester · Latin/Global Small Plates
Our Paladar's wine list is a small, well-edited card that takes its cues from the food and doesn't overstay its welcome. For Rochester, this is legitimately exciting — come for the small plates, stay because the Nebbiolo is actually on the menu.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Rochester · Brewpub/New American
Forager Brewery has no business having a wine list this interesting, and that's meant as a compliment. It's not deep enough to be a wine destination, but for Rochester, it's a legitimate wild card worth knowing about.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Rochester · Italian and wine bar
Sorellina's is doing something genuinely interesting for Rochester — a by-the-glass-forward Italian list with actual producers worth caring about at prices that won't make you wince. Send your wine-curious friends here and let them graze.
Small but Thoughtful
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.
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