Brewpub Hiding a Seriously Curious Wine List
· Duluth · Brewpub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed September 11, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Lake Superior Brewing’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into a Duluth brewpub expecting flights and pint glasses, and then the wine list shows up with a Lagorthi from Greece and a Zweigelt rosé from Austria. That's a hard left turn — and a welcome one. Nobody expects this, which is exactly the point.
Twenty-two labels sounds modest, but the curation here punches way above its weight class for a brewery. The whites alone span Muscadet (Perraud), Alto Adige Pinot Bianco (J. Hopstatter), Albariño (Lagar D Cervera), Verdejo (Arrumaco), and — genuinely — Lagorthi from Greece (Edanos), a grape most dedicated wine nerds would struggle to place. The reds follow the same logic: Chatenay Gamay, Alberdi Rioja, Copertino Negroamaro, La Bacca Nerello Mascalese from Sicily, and Mariposa País from Chile round out a list that clearly belongs to someone with actual opinions. Gaps exist — no Champagne or aged bottles to speak of — but for a place primarily selling beer, the wine program is genuinely thoughtful.
We couldn't confirm specific by-the-glass pours or counts from the available data, so we won't guess. What we can say is that with 22 labels on the list, even a modest BTG program drawn from this selection would be worth exploring. Ask your server what's open.
The Bottom Line
Lake Superior Brewing has no business having a wine list this interesting, and we mean that as a full compliment. If you're in Duluth and you want to drink wine somewhere that actually thought about it, this brewpub is the surprising answer.
· Duluth · Cocktail Bar
This is a cocktail bar that slipped a legitimately interesting nine-bottle wine list into the corner without making a big deal about it — and we respect the quiet confidence. Don't come here for a deep cellar experience, but do come here knowing you have real options beyond the well liquor.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Duluth · Italian
Va Bene is presumably doing something right in the kitchen, but the wine list is a two-item afterthought that tells you this place doesn't take wine seriously. Order a glass, enjoy your pasta, and don't expect anything more.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Duluth · European / Hotel Restaurant
Midi is doing more with 38 labels than most hotel restaurants do with 80. The aromatic white selection alone makes it worth a serious look, and the pricing won't leave you feeling robbed on the way out.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Duluth · Italian-American and Pizza
Sammy's is a Duluth institution and the pizza earns its reputation — the wine list is just not the point, and the restaurant isn't pretending otherwise. Order a beer or grab the cheapest glass pour, eat the pizza, and be happy.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Canal Park · Duluth · American, Bar, Pizza
Old Chicago Duluth isn't a wine destination and doesn't pretend to be — it's a reliable fallback for the table member who wants a glass of something decent while everyone else works through the tap list. If you stick to the Ste. Michelle Riesling, you'll leave satisfied; just don't come here expecting anything that will make you put down your pizza.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Duluth · Duluth · American, bar & grill
Grandma's Saloon is a genuinely fun West Duluth institution, but the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved knows it. Order a local beer, enjoy the ribs, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that shares it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kirkland · Brewpub
Chainline is a brewery that tolerates wine drinkers — it doesn't court them. The pricing is fair for what it is, and the Washington-only focus is at least a gesture toward regional identity, but four grocery-store labels with zero rotation is a wine program in name only. Come for the beer; if your tablemate insists on wine, the Hogue Chardonnay will get them through dinner.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Moab · Brewpub
Moab Brewery is a solid brewpub doing exactly what it should — pouring craft beer to dusty hikers and mountain bikers. The wine list is an afterthought, and that's fine, as long as you treat it like one. Order the beer. If someone at your table insists on wine, the Trapiche Malbec is probably your least-bad option, but don't come here for the wine.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Hood River · Brewpub
pFriem is one of the best brewpubs in the Pacific Northwest, and the wine list knows its role — it's backup, not the headliner. If you're the wine person in a group of beer people, you'll survive and probably drink something decent from the region. If wine is your whole reason for going out, Hood River has better options for that and pFriem has better options for you — namely, the beer.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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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