Farm-fresh vibes, wine list keeps pace
Stuyvesant Plaza · Albany · Farm-to-table · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Josie's Table’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Josie's Table feels exactly like the restaurant itself — unpretentious, approachable, and genuinely trying. It's not going to blow your mind, but it's also not going to embarrass you in front of a date. Prices top out at $85, which keeps things honest for a neighborhood farm-to-table spot tucked inside a shopping plaza.
The list spans France, Italy, California, Oregon, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, and even New York State — respectable geographic range for a casual spot. There's a nod to local producers with Hosmer and Hillick & Hobbs representing the Finger Lakes, which earns real points in a region where most restaurants pretend New York wine doesn't exist. The California section leans heavily on approachable crowd-pleasers like Kendall-Jackson and Chamisal, and the one glaring head-scratcher is a $50 bottle of KJ Chardonnay — a wine you can find at Wegmans for $15. That said, the French selections show some genuine thought: a Raffaitin-Planchon Sancerre and a Bourgogne Côte-d'Or White Burgundy signal someone on the team has taste. The Tarapaca Grand Reserva from Chile rounds out a South American presence that's thin but functional.
By-the-glass pricing runs $8–$16, which is refreshingly reasonable for Albany dining. You can get the Martin Codax Albariño or the Boyer-De Bar Pinot Noir at the top of that range without feeling like you're being robbed. The glass selection pulls from across the bottle list with good representation, though rotation appears static — what's on the menu seems to stay on the menu.
Martin Codax 2023 Albariño Spain — $14
A crisp, coastal Spanish white at a glass price that feels like they forgot to mark it up. Sharp acidity and a saline edge make it one of the most food-friendly pours on the list — and at $14 a glass, it's the move.
Hosmer 2022 Semi-Dry Riesling NY
Most people walk right past Finger Lakes Riesling on a wine list, which is a mistake. Hosmer is a solid Cayuga Lake producer, and at $11 a glass this semi-dry bottling offers real complexity — stone fruit, zippy acidity, a whisper of sweetness — that the Pinot Grigio crowd doesn't know they're missing.
Kendall-Jackson 2021 Chardonnay CA
Fifty dollars for KJ. We respect Josie's Table, but this is a $15 grocery store Chardonnay and the markup is indefensible. The Bourgogne Côte-d'Or White Burgundy sits right next to it on the list for $85 and is a dramatically better use of your money if you're going there anyway.
Raffaitin-Planchon Sancerre 2023 France + Margherita Pizza
Sancerre's laser-focused Sauvignon Blanc acidity cuts right through the mozzarella fat and brightens the bright tomato sauce. It's a classically simple pairing that works every time — and this Sancerre is one of the better bottles on the list.
The Bottom Line
Josie's Table is doing more with their wine list than most farm-to-table spots at this price point — local producers, fair glass pours, and a few genuinely interesting bottles buried in there. Skip the KJ, order the Albariño, and you'll have a good night.
· Albany · Italian, Steakhouse, Seafood
Choose by budget, check bottle size, and confirm the current menu. We haven't independently assessed service, glassware or storage.
Downtown Albany · Albany · Steakhouse
Order by the glass and explore: the posted menu gives you Riesling, Chablis, Cahors and Rioja without a bottle commitment. Pentimento at $16 is our price-conscious red starting point. Check the current list before ordering; the complete cellar, service and storage haven't been independently verified.
West Albany · Albany · Italian
Grappa ’72 gives you several ways into Italian wine without committing to a prestige bottle. Our move is Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva at $47/bottle for the table, or Bigi Orvietto at $9/glass if you want your own white. Confirm the current vintage and price when ordering.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown/Clinton Square · Albany · Modern Mexican / Latin-inspired
Ama Cocina isn't a destination wine bar, but it's a Wild Card worth respecting — a food-forward Latin spot that actually thought about its wine list instead of phoning it in. Come for the tacos, order the Albariño, and be pleasantly surprised.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Warehouse District/Riverfront · Albany · Wine Bar / American Small Plates
The Shaker & Vine is Albany's best argument for the self-pour wine bar format — the markup is shockingly fair, the riverside setting earns its keep, and the list is approachable without being embarrassing. Don't come hunting for rare producers, but do come for a relaxed pour with a view.
Solid Range
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Colonie · Albany · Classic Italian-American
Lombardo's wine list is the culinary equivalent of a comfortable booth — nothing revelatory, but nothing offensive, and it gets the job done alongside a plate of baked ziti. Send a friend here for the food and tell them to order the Barolo if they want to feel like they tried.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Boulder · Farm-to-table
Black Cat is a genuinely unusual night out — 495 bottles of wine in a farmstead cabana under the Rockies is the kind of thing that either sounds perfect to you or completely doesn't, and there's no wrong answer. If it sounds perfect, go — and let the sommelier run.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Tulsa · Tulsa · Farm-to-table
Juniper is the best wine list in Tulsa and it's not particularly close. The markups are real, but so is the curation — and a sommelier on staff means you'll actually get help navigating it.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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