Tiny Room, Big Wine Ambitions
Old Port · Portland · Mediterranean
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Lolita’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Lolita, you immediately clock the wood-fired grill and the wine on display — this is not a restaurant that treats its list as an afterthought. Thirty seats total, sommelier on staff, and a list built around grower Champagne and Northern Rhône heavyweights? In Portland, Maine? We're paying attention.
Eighty-plus labels is a serious number for a room this small, and the curation earns every bottle. The list leans hard into Spain and the Mediterranean — think Bodegas Lan Rioja Crianza as your entry point, Planeta Cometa Fiano from Sicily as your wildcard white — while also pulling in serious French names like Domaine des Hautes de Sanziers Chenin Blanc from Saumur and Aubry Brut for those who want grower fizz with their jamon. The crown jewel is René Rostaing's La Landonne, a Côte-Rôtie that has absolutely no business sitting on a 30-seat restaurant list in Maine. There are some gaps — the new-world side is thin — but the intentionality here is obvious.
With an estimated 12–16 pours by the glass, this program punches well above its weight for a room that could easily phone it in with six house wines. Glasses reportedly start at $11, which at a place stocking grower Champagne and Sicilian Fiano is genuinely fair. One weekly Tapas Night features wines not on the regular list — often Spanish — which tells you the team is actively nerding out, not just running down inventory.
Bodegas Lan Rioja Crianza 2011 — $11
Retails around $15 and they're pouring it by the glass at $11 — that math almost never works in a restaurant's favor. Solid Tempranillo with the kind of earthy, dried-cherry backbone that makes grilled meat taste even better. Drink two.
Domaine des Hautes de Sanziers Chenin Blanc (Saumur)
Most people at a wood-fired grill spot reach for red, and that's exactly why you should order this. Saumur Chenin Blanc has enough acidity and grip to cut through charcuterie and hold its own against the smokier plates — and it's the kind of wine that makes you look smart without trying.
René Rostaing La Landonne Côte-Rôtie
This is a genuinely great wine — we're not questioning that. But La Landonne is a collector bottle, and without knowing the markup or provenance here, you're taking a risk. Save it for a dedicated Rhône night somewhere you can give it the attention it deserves. Here, order something you can actually relax with.
Planeta Cometa Fiano + Jamon Serrano
The Cometa is a rich, textured Sicilian white with enough body to stand up to cured meat and enough brightness to keep the salt from flattening everything. Fiano and cured pork is a match that's been working in southern Italy for centuries — Lolita just found the Maine version.
The Bottom Line
Lolita is the kind of wine program that makes you genuinely excited to eat in a 30-seat room — a sommelier-driven list with real range, absurdly fair pricing, and the occasional off-menu Spanish pour to keep things interesting. Yes, send your friends here for wine.
East End · Portland · Sushi / Japanese
Mr. Tuna isn't a wine destination — it's a great sushi spot that happens to have two sensible, well-chosen bottles and a local can that makes the experience feel intentional. Come for the hand rolls, drink the Vinho Verde, and don't overthink it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Bayside · Portland · Seafood
A fast-casual raw bar with a wine list that punches well above its category — the French-only focus is a feature, not a limitation. If you're eating oysters in Portland, this is where you want to be drinking.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Deer Isle · Portland · Seafood Fine Dining
Aragosta is the rare case where the wine program matches the remoteness of the drive — you come all the way out here and find a 3,475-bottle cellar waiting for you. Yes, send your friends. Send everyone.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Old Port · Portland · Seafood, American
Scales is playing a different game than the tourist-trap seafood spots on either side of it — the wine list is genuinely Old World-focused and well-matched to the food, which is rare and worth noting. If you're eating clams and mussels on the Portland waterfront, this is where you want to be doing it with a glass in hand.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Arts District · Portland · Seafood, Californian, Contemporary Mexican
Regards isn't trying to be a wine bar, but whoever built this list understands exactly what the food needs and went hunting for it. If you're in Portland and want a bottle that actually earns its place on the table, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West End · Portland · French and Spanish
Chaval is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood brasserie in Portland — the list is small but curated by someone who actually cares, with pricing that doesn't punish curiosity. If you're open to going off the beaten path (xarel-lo, South African grenache blanc), this is a genuinely rewarding room to drink in.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Mediterranean
Kitty Dare is punching well above its weight for an Atlanta restaurant wine list — fair prices, genuinely adventurous selections, and the rare willingness to pour all of it by the glass. We don't have visibility into service or food specifics, but the list alone is worth coming for. If you want a Lebanese white from 70-year-old vines for $13/glass, this is your place.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Mediterranean
Fia has the bones of a genuinely good wine program — thoughtful white selections, a few hidden gems, and a Champagne section that sets a mood — but steep markups and a list that doesn't stray far from the expected hold it back from greatness. Go for the Aligoté or the Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, skip the trophy bottles, and you'll drink well without feeling taken.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Monterey · Mediterranean
Dametra Cafe isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be one either — and that honesty is refreshing. The sparkling selection is genuinely fun, prices are fair across the board, and the few left-field picks like Chateau Musar Jeune give the list just enough personality. If you're in Monterey and want a bottle that doesn't feel like a markup shakedown, this is a safe call.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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