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 →
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.
· Winston Salem · Bakery / Cafe
Camino Bakery shouldn't have a wine list this considered, and yet here we are. Bottles top out at $29, most land between $14 and $19, and the selection skews curious rather than safe — Txakoli and orange wine at a Winston-Salem bakery is genuinely unexpected. If you're nearby and want a low-pressure bottle without the restaurant markup, this is a legitimately good stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Thai
Thai Harmony is genuinely worth visiting for the food — the khao soi and kai yang have real fans for a reason, and the downtown space is one of the better dining rooms in Winston-Salem. But come for the kitchen, not the cellar. Until the wine program shows us something specific worth recommending, you're better off ordering a Thai iced tea and saving the wine for another night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Modern Mexican
Alma Mexicana is a genuine wild card — a modern Mexican restaurant in Winston-Salem with a wine program that's quietly pointing at Old World Europe instead of the expected California house pour. We need the full list to give you the real numbers, but the instinct here is good enough to warrant ordering something other than a margarita.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Bottle Shop
The Caviste is doing something genuinely weird for Winston-Salem — a curated, Austria-only bottle shop with prices that should embarrass most restaurant wine lists. If you're even slightly curious about Grüner Veltliner or natural-leaning reds, this is a low-risk, high-reward detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Winery Tasting Room / Light Bites
Divine Llama is a fun, farm-genuine detour if you're exploring North Carolina wine country and want something local and unpretentious. Don't come for depth or discovery beyond the estate — come for the story, the setting, and a glass of Traminette you probably wouldn't have ordered anywhere else.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Winston Salem · American Cafe
West End Cafe isn't a wine destination, but it's a perfectly decent place to drink something decent without overpaying for it. Send a friend here if they want wine with dinner and aren't looking to make an event out of it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· St. Paul · French
Restaurant Aubergine is running an eleven-bottle wine program that punches well above its weight class — the selections are specific, considered, and genuinely adventurous for a French spot in the Twin Cities. If you want a deep cellar and a leather-bound wine bible, look elsewhere; if you want someone's honest, well-edited point of view in a glass, this earns your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Buckhead · Sandy Springs · French
Le Bilboquet is a reliable French restaurant wine experience in a city that doesn't overflow with them — a focused, old-world-leaning list backed by actual staff knowledge. Pricing skews steep for the Buckhead zip code, so lean on the sommelier to find where the value hides. We'd send a friend here for a fun night, not a deep dive.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · French
St. John's is running a lean, all-by-the-glass program that's more considered than it looks at first glance — a Vouvray, a Barolo, and an aged Languedoc Syrah on a 14-bottle list isn't an accident. The lack of bottle service is a real limitation for a French dinner, but if you're grazing through courses and glasses, the pricing stays honest. Worth a visit if you want something beyond the usual steakhouse pour.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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