McKinney's Chill Square Secret Worth Finding
Downtown / Historic Square · McKinney · Wine bar and tasting room with light bites · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Lone Star Wine Cellars’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list is short — six bottles short — but walking into Lone Star Wine Cellars on McKinney's historic square, that's almost not the point. The vibe is low-key social, live music humming in the background, and nobody's here to be intimidated by a leather-bound tome of Burgundy. It's approachable by design, and mostly, that works.
Six labels isn't a wine list — it's a curated flight waiting to happen. The selection leans into crowd-friendly value labels: 90+ Cellars brings its Sauvignon Blanc from the Pacific Northwest, Chasing Lions delivers a California Pinot Noir, and White Goose covers the Riesling drinkers. There's no deep cellar here, no old-world rabbit hole to fall into, but the bottles on offer are honest and reasonably chosen for the setting. What's missing is any Texas-grown representation, which feels like a missed opportunity for a spot called Lone Star.
By-the-glass specifics aren't clearly published, but given the tasting room format and the tight six-bottle lineup, it's reasonable to assume most or all are available by the pour. A proper tasting room that doesn't let you sample before committing to a bottle is leaving money on the table — and from what guests report, this one does lean into the tasting experience. Still, we'd like to see a posted glass menu with actual pour prices.
2022 Cassie's Way White Blend — $34
At the lowest price point on the list, a white blend gives you something to discover without a big commitment. White blends tend to overdeliver for their price and this one keeps the entry cost low for a relaxed night on the square.
2022 White Goose Riesling
Riesling is perpetually underordered because people assume sweet and boring. At $39 in a casual tasting room setting, it's the most food-friendly bottle on the list and the one most likely to surprise you — especially with a charcuterie board.
2022 Whitetail Chardonnay
At $44 it's the priciest pour on a six-bottle list, and Chardonnay from a value label at top dollar is rarely the move. You're paying the ceiling price for the most predictable choice — let someone else order it.
2022 White Goose Riesling + Charcuterie and cheese board
The Riesling's natural acidity cuts through fatty cured meats and washed-rind cheeses better than anything else on this list. It's the one bottle that actually does work at a wine bar built around boards.
The Bottom Line
Lone Star Wine Cellars isn't trying to be a destination wine program — it's a good-time spot in a great downtown square with an honest, unpretentious short list. Send a friend here for the atmosphere and a glass; just don't come expecting depth.
· McKinney · Southern American
Ida Claire isn't a wine destination, but it's a solid place to drink wine — especially if you time it for happy hour. Show up between 3 and 6, order the shrimp and grits, and let someone else worry about the cellar.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
· McKinney · Italian
Taverna Rossa's wine list gets the job done for a casual dinner out, but the markups on familiar bottles make it hard to recommend going beyond a glass or two. Stick with the Barbera or the Guigal and save the splurge for the food.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McKinney · Mexican
Mi Cocina McKinney put exactly zero thought into their wine program, and it shows in every predictable bottle on that nine-label list. Order a margarita and don't look back.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McKinney · Italian
Bravo! is a competent chain wine program — wide by-the-glass selection, a few Italian producers worth noting, and prices that are steep but not insulting. You're not coming here for the wine list, but you won't regret ordering either.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McKinney · Seafood & Steakhouse
Truluck's isn't a destination wine list, but the nightly happy hour deals and an actual sommelier on staff mean you can drink well here without too much pain — just lean on the bar specials and let the secret wine surprise you. Send a friend who cares more about stone crab than obscure growers, and they'll leave happy.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
· McKinney · Italian
Brio McKinney's wine list won't win any awards and the markup will sting if you reach for the California heavyweights, but there are a few genuinely Italian picks buried in there worth finding. Come for the food, order thoughtfully, and stick to the Old World side of the list.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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