Burgundy Royalty Meets D.C. Fine Dining
Washington · French · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Jônt’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into a 17-seat chef's counter experience, the wine list feels less like a menu and more like a statement. Jônt is not here to play it safe — DRC and Henri Jayer share real estate with Harlan Estate and Screaming Eagle, and everything about it reads intentional. This is the kind of list that makes you want to clear your calendar for the evening.
The 300-500 bottle list leans hard into its strengths: Burgundy and California are the twin pillars, and they're stacked. Rousseau's Gevrey-Chambertin and Leroy Bourgogne anchor the French side alongside blue-chip Bordeaux like Château Pétrus and Château Margaux, while the California section reads like a trophy case — Kistler, Sine Qua Non, Opus One. There are no real gaps here, just a list that has decided it's going to do the big stuff right rather than scatter across every corner of the wine world. The Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence since 2022 is well-earned — this list has the receipts.
With 20-35 options by the glass, Jônt offers more pours than most tasting-menu spots bother with, which matters when you're navigating a multi-course progression. The range likely mirrors the bottle list's focus on France and California, giving you real options at each course rather than the usual two-white-two-red shuffle. A strong by-the-glass program at this level of dining is a genuine differentiator.
Kistler Chardonnay — $80
At the lower end of the bottle range, Kistler delivers serious California Chardonnay — rich, precise, and benchmarked against Burgundy in quality. In a list where bottles climb fast into the hundreds, this is where you get the most wine for your dollar.
Leroy Bourgogne
Everyone's eyes go straight to the DRC and Rousseau, and rightfully so. But Leroy's village-level Bourgogne is a back-door entry into one of Burgundy's most obsessive producers — farmed biodynamically, made with the same rigor as bottles that cost ten times as much. Most tables walk right past it chasing the bigger names.
Opus One
A fine wine, no question — but Opus One is on every list in America, it's easy to find retail, and at fine-dining markup you're paying a significant premium for a bottle you can source without much effort. With Harlan and Screaming Eagle in the same section, the marginal dollar is better spent going further up the California ladder.
Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin + Wagyu beef
Gevrey at Rousseau's level brings that combination of iron-fisted structure and silky red fruit that holds up to rich Wagyu fat without getting lost in it. The earthiness in the wine echoes any truffle or umami notes in the preparation, and the finish is long enough to last between bites.
The Bottom Line
Jônt is the rare D.C. restaurant where the wine list is as deliberate and ambitious as the food — if you're going to spend the money on the tasting menu, spend a little more and drink something from this list that you won't forget. Yes, send your friends here for wine.
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Zaytinya's wine list is one of the more focused and honest Greek programs you'll find at a mid-to-high scale restaurant in D.C. The by-the-glass selection is wide, the pricing doesn't insult you, and the Greek variety depth is genuinely impressive. If you've been waiting for a reason to finally figure out what Xinomavro tastes like, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão's wine list is exactly what a national Brazilian steakhouse chain's wine list looks like: functional, familiar, and priced for margin rather than your benefit. The by-the-glass count is impressive on paper, but most of the options are labels you've seen at your grocery store for a fraction of what they're charging here. If you're coming for the meat — and you should be — stick to the Catena Malbec and enjoy the show.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Washington · Washington · Steak House
A 20-wine by-the-glass list with every pour between $14 and $30, split across four sparkling, six white, two rosé and eight red. With a steak, start with the $26 Clos Duval Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or the $22 Monte Antico Supremus; for the cheapest glass, take the $14 Dr. Loosen Riesling. Pour sizes aren't posted and the page is undated, so confirm today's wines. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown DC · Washington · Steakhouse
A steakhouse beverage menu with 30 wines by the glass and a bottle list that is mostly California, with some France, Italy and Portugal. Start with the $9/glass happy hour Bonanza Cabernet if you arrive in the window, or the Eroica Riesling, the only Riesling on the glass list, and ask for prices because regular wine prices aren't posted. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Georgetown · Washington · Seafood, Steakhouse
An unpriced list that is easier to read for what it offers than for what it costs. If you want Bordeaux, ask for the 2020 Margaux de Brane Cantenac, or look at the Brunello di Montalcino in Sommelier's Selections, and get the price before you commit. This unrated guide covers the posted Beverage Menu, not service, storage or markups.
Washington · Washington · Latin, Vegetarian
A wide-ranging list with 14 wines by the glass from $17 to $95 and a bottle book that runs from $60 to $1,275. Start with the $17 Eichinger Grüner Veltliner or the $20 Pêcheur Trousseau, and ask for the Natural Wines section if you want something low-intervention. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
River Market · Kansas City · French
A French-led list with 25 two-price wines up front and a long run of Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhône bottles behind them. Start with the Chinon Le Garenne at 42 or the Cornas 'Granit 60' at 88, ask which number is the glass price, and confirm prices, since the page is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Union Square · San Francisco · French
A 66-page list that starts with a 20-pour glass page and moves quickly into Burgundy, Rhône and Bordeaux bottles priced in the hundreds and thousands, so decide early whether you are drinking by the glass or committing to a bottle. Start with the $20 Chablis or the $23 Corsican red, and confirm today's list because it carries no print date. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Meatpacking District · New York · French
A French wine list with a wide price ladder: $16 glasses, $40 half bottles and $60 full bottles at the bottom, Pétrus and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti at the top. Start with the $16 Famille Coulon Rhône white by the glass, or spend $115 on the Marcel Deiss Alsace pinot noir, and check prices because the two PDFs show different bottle prices for Delos. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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