The Wine List That Phoned It In
South / near Hwy 63 · Rochester · Casual American bar & grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 5, 2026
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.
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Olive Garden's wine list exists to check a box, not elevate a meal — it's priced above its station and assembled without much curiosity. Order the Chianti, eat the breadsticks, and don't come here expecting the wine to be the point.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Apache Mall · Rochester · American
The Cheesecake Factory's wine list is exactly what you'd expect from a high-volume mall chain: safe, recognizable, and marked up enough to make you wish you'd ordered a cocktail. Come for the Chicken Madeira, skip the wine hunt.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Rochester · American, Sushi
CRAVE isn't a wine destination, but it's a perfectly competent place to drink on a Monday when those bottle prices get cut in half. Show up any other night and you're paying full markup on a list that doesn't earn it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
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Newt's South is not a wine destination — it's a great burger bar that happens to sell wine at suspiciously cheap prices. Come for the food, order a beer, and if you must have wine, hit it on a Wednesday when the glasses drop to under four bucks.
Grocery Store
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown · Rochester · Thai
ThaiPop isn't a wine destination, but its list is smarter than the size suggests — just stick to the aromatic, low-tannin options and leave the Cab to someone else. If you're in downtown Rochester and want Thai food with a decent glass of something cold and food-friendly, you won't be disappointed.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Northwest / West Circle · Rochester · American Contemporary
Five West is a perfectly competent neighborhood spot where the wine list does its job without embarrassing anyone. Don't come here chasing something rare — come for the patio, order The Beach Rosé, and call it a win.
Crowd Pleasers
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.