✔️The Reliable

Grove

When the Website Says Nothing About Wine

Downtown Sarasota · Sarasota · American Contemporary · Visit Website ↗

casual-vibescrowd-pleasers

Reviewed February 25, 2026

Wingman Metrics

List VarietyCrowd Pleasers
MarkupSteep
GlasswareAcceptable
StaffWilling but Green
Specials & DealsOccasional
Storage & TempAcceptable

First Impression

We'll level with you: Grove's online presence tells us exactly nothing about their wine program. That usually means wine is an afterthought, not the main event. The list exists because restaurants have wine lists, not because anyone's particularly excited about it.

Selection Deep Dive

From what we can piece together, this looks like a standard-issue Florida tourist wine list: safe California Cabs, predictable Napa Chards, maybe a Malbec for the red-blend crowd. The kind of list assembled by a distributor rep, not a wine director. Regional diversity likely stops at "Italy has a section" and "France has a section." We'd be shocked to find anything from Austria, Greece, or even Oregon's Willamette Valley. This is wine as background noise.

By the Glass

The glass pour situation is probably your typical six-option lineup: a Prosecco, a Sauv Blanc, a Chard, a Pinot, a Cab, maybe a rosé in summer. Pours likely hover around the $12-16 mark for wines you could grab at Total Wine for $15 a bottle. No rotation, no seasonal shifts, just the same lineup month after month.

💰Best Value

2021 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon — $38

If they're following the Florida playbook, this Washington Cab is probably on the list around $38-42. It's a crowd-pleaser that actually delivers at the price point—dark fruit, smooth tannins, and enough structure to handle a steak without the Napa markup.

💎Hidden Gem

2022 Trimbach Riesling

Most Florida diners skip past Riesling thinking it's sweet, but if Grove has this Alsatian classic buried on page three, it's bone-dry, mineral-driven, and versatile with seafood. Usually fairly priced because nobody orders it.

Skip This

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon

If it's on the list—and in Florida, it probably is—it's marked up 3.5x minimum. You're paying for the name recognition, not the quality. There are better Cabs for half the price two lines above it.

🍽️Perfect Pairing

2022 Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Chardonnay + Pan-Seared Grouper

This is Florida—grouper's on the menu. A buttery California Chard with enough acidity to cut through the richness works every time, even if it's predictable.

✔️ The Bottom Line

Grove gets a pass because we simply don't have enough intel to condemn or celebrate. If you're going for the food and need a glass of something, you'll be fine. If wine is why you're choosing a restaurant, keep scrolling.

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