Lexington's Classiest Wine Room, Done Right
Downtown / Gratz Park · Lexington · New American / Southern
Reviewed June 4, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Jonathan at Gratz Park, the wine list feels like it belongs to the room — a historic inn with enough gravitas to back up a serious selection. A dedicated sommelier is on staff, which immediately signals that someone here actually gives a damn. The list runs 100-200 bottles deep, skewing California-heavy but with enough Old World presence to keep things interesting.
The list leans hard into California with familiar names like Jordan and Caymus anchoring the reds, and Sonoma-Cutrer doing its dependable work on the white side. Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhône Valley, and Italy fill out the supporting cast — not a wild ride, but a well-organized one. The regional coverage is solid for Lexington, a market where most restaurants haven't moved much beyond the grocery store shelf. What this list lacks in adventurousness it makes up for in coherence — every bottle feels deliberately chosen rather than just thrown on a page.
With 15-25 options by the glass, there's genuine range here — enough that you won't be stuck choosing between two forgettable Cabs. The sommelier's presence likely keeps the glass pours from getting stale, though we didn't find evidence of active rotation or a structured BTG program. Still, for Lexington, this is one of the more thoughtful by-the-glass menus you'll encounter.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — null
Jordan is a perennial overachiever in the Sonoma/Bordeaux-style category — structured, food-friendly, and well-priced relative to its peers when a restaurant doesn't go crazy on the markup. At Jonathan, it's the kind of bottle that works for a business dinner or a date night without requiring a second mortgage.
Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay
Most people at this price point reach for something bolder or more recognizable, but Sonoma-Cutrer's Russian River Ranches bottling is a genuinely precise, cool-climate Chardonnay that punches above its reputation. It gets overlooked because the label doesn't scream prestige — order it anyway.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is fine. It's also on every restaurant wine list in America, marked up to a point where you're paying premium prices for a brand that's coasting on name recognition. You can find it at the grocery store. At a restaurant with a sommelier, you should be drinking something they actually had to think about.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon + Classic American roasted meat entrée
Jordan's structured tannins and dark fruit profile are built for a well-seasoned cut of beef or braised short rib — the kind of Southern-American comfort food Jonathan does well. It softens into the dish rather than fighting it.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Jonathan at Gratz Park is the kind of reliable wine room you'd expect from a historic inn with a real sommelier — competent, well-stocked, and leaning safe. Pricing is on the steeper side and the list won't surprise you, but in Lexington, this is still one of the better places to order a full bottle with dinner.
South Lexington / Harrodsburg Road · Lexington · Italian, Contemporary Italian, Seafood
Giuseppe's isn't a wine destination, but Monday night half-price bottles make it one of the better value plays in Lexington — show up then, lean on the seafood, and you'll leave happy. Any other night, the markups ask a lot and the list doesn't ask you to think very hard.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Lansdowne / Nicholasville Road · Lexington · Italian-American
Sutton's isn't a wine destination, but it's a perfectly reasonable place to drink a bottle of Chianti while someone else handles the cooking. The Tignanello alone earns this list a second look if you know to ask for it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Palomar / Harrodsburg Road · Lexington · Italian, Seasonal American-Influenced
Bella Notte isn't a wine destination, but it's a reliable neighborhood spot with one genuinely smart move: Thursday half-price bottles turn a steep list into a real value play. Go on a Thursday, order the Decoy Cab with a wood-grilled steak, and you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Lexington · Italian
ItalX is a dependable Italian wine list for a night out downtown — not exciting, but not embarrassing either. Send a friend here knowing they'll drink well enough, as long as they steer toward the Italian reds and away from the obvious tourist traps.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Summit at Fritz Farm · Lexington · New American / Southern
33 Staves is a perfectly competent hotel wine list in a city where nobody's really coming for the wine. Drink it for what it is, keep your expectations calibrated, and save the serious bottle hunting for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Lexington · Contemporary American
Lockbox is the wine list of a restaurant that cares about wine but hasn't fully committed to obsessing over it — solid producers, a bit steep on price, and playing it safe where it could take chances. Send a friend here knowing they'll drink well; just tell them to skip the rosé and go straight for the Jadot.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.