Winston-Salem's French anchor takes wine seriously
Downtown Winston-Salem · Winston Salem · French · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 9, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Katharine Brasserie & Bar’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list at Katharine and immediately feel the weight of it — this is not a restaurant that threw together a page of crowd-pleasers and called it a day. Three hundred to five hundred selections anchored in California, France, and Italy tells you someone put actual thought into this. For Winston-Salem, it's a genuine statement.
The French backbone is exactly right for a brasserie: Louis Jadot Burgundy sits alongside the kind of Bordeaux gravitas that Chateau Margaux brings to any list. Italy shows up with serious intent — Gaja and Ceretto representing Barolo at the top end, which signals a cellar built for the long game, not just the easy sell. California gets its requisite play with Caymus, Jordan, Duckhorn, and Opus One — yes, it leans commercial, but those are names that move tables in a dining room like this. The list earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence, awarded in 2024, and you can feel why.
With 20 to 35 options by the glass and pricing running $12 to $18, the pour program is genuinely accessible for a room at this price point. Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir showing up by the glass is a legitimate bright spot — that's not a pour you find everywhere. Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling rounds out the more approachable end and is smart programming for a menu heavy with delicate French preparations.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir — $15
A by-the-glass pour of Drouhin Oregon at this price point is the move. It's a proper, serious producer — earthy, structured, and honest — in a market where most restaurants would charge more and give you less.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
Most people skip right past it chasing the Chardonnay or Pinot, but Riesling at a French brasserie is actually the insider order — the acidity cuts through rich sauces and the price keeps it guilt-free.
Opus One
Opus One is a trophy bottle and Katharine prices it like one. You're paying for the label and the dinner table moment, not for a wine that outperforms what Jordan or Grgich Hills delivers at a fraction of the cost.
Louis Jadot Burgundy + Pan-seared duck breast
Duck and Burgundy is almost too obvious — except it keeps being obvious because it keeps being right. Jadot's earthy, red-fruited Pinot from the Côte de Beaune cuts through the duck fat without bullying the meat. Order both and stop overthinking it.
The Bottom Line
Katharine Brasserie is the real deal for the Triad — a deep, well-curated list in a setting that actually honors it. The markup can sting and there's no dedicated sommelier to guide you through, but if you know what you're looking for, this list rewards the effort.
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