Paris in Portsmouth, one crêpe at a time
Downtown · Portsmouth · French patisserie, crêperie, and wine bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 24, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed La Maison Navarre’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into La Maison Navarre feels like someone airlifted a Parisian side-street café into coastal New Hampshire — in the best possible way. The wine list is short and unapologetically French, which is exactly what it should be. No Napa Cab trying to crash the party here.
The list runs maybe 20 to 40 bottles deep, and every single one earns its spot by flying the French flag. You've got Loire representation with Muscadet and Sancerre, Rhône coverage via Côtes du Rhône, a Bordeaux Blanc for the crowd that wants something a little richer, and a Crémant d'Alsace for bubbles without the Champagne markup. It's not a list that's trying to impress you with length — it's trying to match the food, and it does. The gaps are real: no Burgundy, no Alsatian whites beyond the Crémant, and nothing remotely adventurous for the natural wine crowd.
Eight to fifteen pours by the glass is a respectable spread for a spot this size, and the $10–$16 range keeps things accessible without feeling like a gas station wine situation. We'd expect the Crémant d'Alsace and Muscadet to anchor the glass program — the right calls for a crêpe-focused menu. Rotation cadence is unclear, so ask your server what's currently open.
Crémant d'Alsace — $12
Bubbles by the glass under $15 at a French wine bar is exactly the move. Crémant punches well above its price point and makes every savory crêpe feel like a special occasion.
Bordeaux Blanc
Everyone reaches for the Sancerre when they want a white, but the Bordeaux Blanc — Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon — is consistently underordered and often better value. Rounder, less sharp, and quietly excellent with anything savory on the menu.
Sancerre
Sancerre is great wine, but it's also the most marked-up Loire white in any restaurant's playbook. Unless this bottle is priced fairly — and with bottles topping at $80, there's real risk it isn't — the Muscadet does the same job for a fraction of the price.
Muscadet + Savory crêpe with ham and Gruyère
Muscadet's lean, saline character cuts straight through the richness of melted Gruyère and balances the salt of the ham. It's the kind of pairing that makes you wonder why you'd ever order anything else.
The Bottom Line
La Maison Navarre is a genuine Wild Card — a French patisserie and crêperie in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, that actually bothered to build a coherent, France-only wine list to match. It's not deep, it's not adventurous, but it's honest and well-matched to what's on the plate, and that's more than most places manage.
· Portsmouth · Upscale New American
Salt Kitchen & Bar has the bones of a resort wine list built to move recognizable bottles at comfortable margins — not to educate, excite, or reward the curious drinker. If you're staying at Wentworth by the Sea and want a glass of wine with dinner, you'll find something drinkable here, but we wouldn't plan a night around the list. Order the Red Newt Riesling, tip your server well, and save the wine exploration for somewhere that's actually trying.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Seafood & American
The Oar House wine list is a workmanlike effort — short, safe, and priced fairly for what it is. If you're coming for the seafood and want a glass of Albariño or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc to go with it, you'll be well served. Just don't come here expecting to be wowed by the wine program.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Portsmouth · New American / Tapas-Style
Moxy earns its Wild Card badge not because we can confirm every pour, but because the bones of the wine program — an intentional regional focus, a menu built for wine-friendly snacking, and a room that draws people back — suggest genuine effort. If you're in Portsmouth and want something more interesting than a safe Napa Cab next to your tapas, this is worth the reservation. Come in curious, ask the staff what they're excited about, and let the list surprise you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Japanese / Sushi
Nichinan's wine list is short but earns its keep — the presence of Pieropan, Grüner Veltliner, and Henri Bourgeois Sancerre tells you someone on staff understands that sushi and Chardonnay is not the only answer. Markups are fair across the board, and the by-the-glass selection is wide enough to keep the table happy without forcing a bottle. If you're in Portsmouth and want something better than the default wine-at-a-sushi-restaurant experience, this delivers.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Italian-American
The Rosa isn't trying to reinvent the wine list — it's trying to serve its room well, and largely succeeds. Twenty-five by-the-glass options with Italian producers mixed alongside California staples makes this one of the more thoughtful pours in Portsmouth. If you're after wine-bar ambition, look elsewhere; if you want a reliable glass with your gnocchi without any drama, The Rosa delivers.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Steakhouse
The Library Restaurant is a Wine Spectator award holder that plays it very, very safe — heavy California Chardonnay, a prestige Champagne tower, and markups that favor the house. If you're here for a special occasion and want to pop a Pol Roger at $125 or a Veuve at $155, it's a fine room for that. But if you're hoping to find something unexpected or feel like the wine program is working hard for you, this list isn't going to surprise you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
