Laredo's Little List That Means Business
· Laredo · Contemporary bistro · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · October 12, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Lolita's Bistro’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Nineteen labels isn't a lot to work with, but Lolita's Bistro makes a surprisingly coherent case for itself in a city not exactly known for adventurous wine programs. The list has actual range — Champagne, Sancerre, Barbaresco — and someone clearly put thought into the selections, even if they didn't push back on the pricing.
The list moves confidently through its regions: a solid Bubbles and Rosé section anchored by Taittinger ($87/bottle) and Perrier-Jouët Brut Rosé ($98/bottle), a white section that goes from the entry-level Araciel Albariño ($36/bottle) up through Domaine Delaporte Sancerre ($87/bottle) and Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé ($68/bottle), and a red section that spans Etude Pinot Noir ($68/bottle), a Château Bellegrave Pauillac ($87/bottle), and a Michele Chiarlo Reyna Barbaresco ($99/bottle). The Banfi Aska Bolgheri Rosso ($75/bottle) and Stags' Leap Petite Sirah ($79/bottle) add a bit of character to what could have been a generic red block. What's missing: no half-bottles, no local producers, no natural or orange wine, and a noticeable gap in anything south of the equator beyond the Pyros Malbec ($48/bottle).
Four pours by the glass is thin but not embarrassing. You're looking at the Araciel Albariño ($12/glass), Banfi Rainstorm Pinot Noir ($12/glass), Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé ($19/glass), and Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon ($19/glass). The range hits white, red, and a middle ground, though there's no sparkling or rosé option by the glass, which feels like an oversight on a list with this much Champagne and rosé bottle inventory.
The Bottom Line
Lolita's Bistro is doing more with a 19-bottle list than most Laredo restaurants would bother attempting — the Domaine Delaporte Sancerre, the Barbaresco, and the Bolgheri Rosso tell you someone cares. Markups run steep across the board, especially at the top of the list, so bring a budget or lean toward the Albariño and Pinot Noir by the glass. Worth stopping in, worth ordering wine — just go in with eyes open on price.
· Laredo · Modern Mexican
Casa Azul's wine list has no business being this interesting for a modern Mexican spot in Laredo, and that's exactly why it earns a Wild Card. The list is small and the by-the-glass program is thin, but the bones are good — Patient Cottat Sancerre and Drouhin Pinot Noir don't end up on a 22-bottle list by accident. If you're eating here, skip the safe plays and lean into the whites.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Laredo · New American / Latin Fusion
El Capataz Del Mar isn't a wine destination — it's a restaurant that happens to have seven bottles on a menu. The pricing is honest and the Garnacha options from AH-SO offer a slight spark of personality, but this list needs serious attention before it earns a real recommendation. Order a cocktail, or grab the white Garnacha if you want to say you tried.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Laredo · Steakhouse
El Asador is clearly a destination for the food — the wood-fired steaks, the Tuétano al Piquín, the oysters — and the margaritas are probably doing heavy lifting at the bar. But the wine list is a placeholder, not a program. Five unlabeled, undated-for-rotation bottles at a polished steakhouse in 2024 is a miss. Come for the beef, order a cocktail, and hope someone eventually hands this list to someone who cares.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Posada Hotel · Laredo · Steakhouse
The Tack Room isn't trying to be a wine destination, and it succeeds at being exactly what it is — a dependable hotel steakhouse list with some solid bottles hiding among the Cab parade. Order the Spanish or Argentine options, avoid the trophy-bottle markups, and you'll eat and drink just fine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Laredo · Spanish Tapas & Wine Bar
Taberna Laredo is the kind of place that wine-obsessed travelers bookmark and casual diners stumble into and never forget. If you're in Madrid and serious about drinking well at dinner, this belongs on your shortlist.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Laredo · Modern Mexican
The wine list at Cantina Laredo Laredo is functional, priced fairly for a casual chain, and completely devoid of ambition — but honestly, you're probably here for the guacamole and a frozen margarita anyway. If you do order wine, grab the Marqués de Cáceres Rosé and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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