Highlandtown's Quietly Global Wine Surprise
Highlandtown · Baltimore · Italian-Leaning
Reviewed March 25, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into a neighborhood Italian spot in Highlandtown, you don't expect to find Sancerre wine dinners and Burgundy nights on the events calendar — but here we are. The list isn't sprawling, but it's clearly the work of someone who actually cares, not a generic import from a corporate beverage consultant. That alone puts InGrano ahead of most of its zip code.
The 80-to-150-bottle range skews toward France and Spain with a few Southern Hemisphere entries filling in the gaps, and it mostly holds together with a coherent point of view. You'll find Christian Lauverjat's Sancerre sitting next to a Vina Otano Rioja Reserva 2017, which tells you the list leans classical without being stuffy about it. The Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion Burgundy entry is the most interesting thing here — that's a serious Nuits-Saint-Georges producer and a name you don't stumble across at pasta joints. The Chile section is lighter and feels a bit tacked on, but it handles the value-seeker without embarrassing anyone.
Fifteen by-the-glass options at $12–$33 is a genuinely generous spread for a neighborhood restaurant of this size. The Thibaut-Janisson Extra Brut NV is a strong opening move — a Virginia sparkling wine that punches above its category and makes for a smart, local-ish pour. We'd like to see more rotation here, but what's on offer reflects the same thoughtfulness as the bottle list.
Vina Otano Rioja Reserva Spain 2017 — $N/A — bottle list price not confirmed
A 2017 Rioja Reserva from a solid Navarran producer should be your house red every time you're here. Tempranillo with real age on it is almost always underpriced at Italian-leaning spots that don't fully appreciate what they've got.
Thibaut-Janisson Extra Brut VA NV
A Virginia sparkling wine on a Baltimore wine list is either a bold local-pride move or a happy accident — either way, Thibaut-Janisson is the real deal. Most guests will scroll past it looking for Champagne and miss out on something that genuinely competes at twice the price.
Las Mulas Reserva Rosé Chile 2022
Las Mulas is a perfectly fine organic Chilean brand, but it's widely distributed and a grocery store shelf staple. With a Sancerre and a Burgundy producer on the same list, there's no reason to default to this one.
Christian Lauverjat Sancerre France 2023 + House-made pasta
A bright, mineral-driven Sancerre cuts right through the richness of fresh egg pasta — especially anything with butter or a light cream element. Loire Sauvignon Blanc and house-made pasta is one of those combinations that makes you feel like you figured something out.
🎲 The Bottom Line
InGrano is punching above its weight class in a neighborhood that mostly doesn't ask it to, and we respect that. If you're eating in Highlandtown and you care about what's in your glass, this is your spot.
Clipper Mill · Baltimore · American, Farm to Table
True Chesapeake is a Wild Card in the best possible sense — a working waterfront oyster spot with a Wine Spectator-recognized list helmed by a sommelier who clearly cares. Go for the oysters, stay for the Weinbach, and don't skip the Muscadet.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Horseshoe Casino · Baltimore · Steak house, European
Gordon Ramsay Steak isn't going to surprise you, but it delivers a solid, award-backed California-and-France wine list in a setting where you'd half-expect to be handed a laminated card with three options. For a casino steakhouse in Baltimore, that's genuinely worth something.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Harbor East · Baltimore · Steak House
The Ruxton is the rare steakhouse where the wine list is a genuine reason to show up, not just a formality next to the beef. Send a friend here, tell them to skip the Caymus, and let Patrick Owens point them somewhere better.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Baltimore · Baltimore · American
Bygone is the kind of wine list that makes Baltimore dinner reservations worth planning around. The markups are real, but the depth, the sommelier, and the setting make this one of the better places to spend money on a serious bottle on the East Coast.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Little Italy · Baltimore · Italian
La Tavola isn't a wine destination, but it earns its keep as a solid neighborhood Italian with a list that at least respects where the kitchen is coming from. Order the Vermentino, enjoy the Shrimp & Calamari, and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Mount Vernon · Baltimore · Afghan
The Helmand isn't a wine destination, but it's a Wild Card worth betting on — a 30-year-old Afghan institution that's put enough thought into its list to make the right bottle genuinely accessible. Go for the Cigare Volant, order the lamb, and enjoy the fact that this place still exists.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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