Burgundy Meets Wagyu on the Beach
Fort Lauderdale Beach · Fort Lauderdale · French, Japanese · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Opening the wine list at MAASS feels like someone handed you a Rolodex of the world's most serious producers and said, go ahead. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Château Margaux, Sine Qua Non — this is not a beach restaurant wine list, this is a statement. Fort Lauderdale didn't know it needed this, but here we are.
The list runs 350-500 bottles deep with a clear double focus: Burgundy and California, and both columns are stacked. On the French side you've got Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin, and the kind of DRC presence that makes you do a double-take at a zip code that's better known for spring break. California pulls equal weight with Kosta Browne Pinot Noir, Aubert Chardonnay, Opus One, and Sine Qua Non — the cult stuff that's genuinely hard to find on a list without a reservation deposit. Gaps are few; this is a program that was built with intention, not assembled from a distributor catalog. The Franco-Japanese cuisine gives the list a natural home for both Burgundy's elegance and California's weight.
Sixteen to twenty-four pours by the glass is a serious commitment for a restaurant of this size, and the pricing — $15 to $45 a glass — reflects the quality tier they're working in. At the top end you're getting access to wines that rarely show up by the pour anywhere, which is either thrilling or a fast way to blow your dinner budget before the foie gras arrives. Rotation details weren't confirmed, but with sommeliers Todd Nichols and Tobias Froehlich running the program, we'd expect the glass list to get some attention.
Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin — $60
Entry point into a legitimate Burgundy producer at a price that doesn't require a second mortgage. Faiveley's Gevrey is structured and serious, and next to the DRC on the same list it almost looks like a bargain — which, for Fort Lauderdale, it kind of is.
Aubert Chardonnay
Most tables at MAASS are scanning for Burgundy or going straight for the DRC flex, so Aubert gets overlooked. That's a mistake. This is one of the most precise California Chardonnays made, and it holds its own next to anything from the Côte de Beaune on this list — often at a friendlier price point than the French side.
Opus One
Opus One is a trophy bottle that's been on every upscale American restaurant list for thirty years — and the markup here prices it accordingly. It's a fine wine, but at MAASS you're surrounded by more interesting options at similar or lower prices. Unless you're here to impress someone who recognizes the label from a hotel minibar menu, your money works harder elsewhere on this list.
Kosta Browne Pinot Noir + Dry-aged duck
Kosta Browne's richness and dark fruit profile is exactly what dry-aged duck wants — enough body to match the intensity of the meat, enough acid to cut through the fat. It's a California-French handshake that makes the Franco-Japanese concept at MAASS feel like it was designed around this exact combination.
🔥 The Bottom Line
MAASS is the real thing — a sommelier-driven program with genuine depth, proper glassware, and staff that actually knows what's in the cellar. Markups run steep at the top end, but this is a Best of Award of Excellence list for a reason, and it earns every bit of the credential.
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · Mediterranean
The Terrace Grill isn't where you go to chase down rare bottles or get your mind blown by an unexpected producer — it's where you go to drink well without overthinking it. For waterfront Mediterranean dining in Fort Lauderdale, that's a perfectly respectable offer.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · Italian, Floridian
La Fuga earns its Wine Spectator hardware with a focused Italian-California list that does right by the food — just be prepared for steep markups on the prestige bottles. Send a friend here when they want serious Italian wine with their pasta and a view.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · Italian
Anthony's Runway 84 is a Fort Lauderdale institution that knows its audience and delivers exactly what it promises: big Napa names, old-school Italian comfort, and no surprises. Wine-forward diners may find the list a little safe, but the Italian highlights and the fresh Wine Spectator Award of Excellence signal that someone here is paying attention — even if the list isn't ready to take risks.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Ft. Lauderdale Beach · Fort Lauderdale · Steak House
Steak 954 is a legitimately strong wine program for a beach hotel steakhouse — deep on the producers that matter, proper storage, and a by-the-glass count that punches above its weight. Markups are what they are at this address, but if you pick smart, this is a great place to drink wine with a serious piece of beef.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · American, Farm to Table
Daniel's is a legitimate Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence earner — the list is deep, the heavy hitters are all here, and the room is built for serious wine drinking. The markups sting and there's no sommelier pushing you toward discovery, but if you know what you're looking for, this is one of Fort Lauderdale's best bottles-over-dinner experiences.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · Brazilian Steakhouse
Chima isn't a wine bar wearing a steakhouse costume — it's a legitimate churrascaria that happens to have built a wine program worth respecting. Pricing runs steep across the board, but Wednesday half-price night changes the math entirely, and the Argentine and Italian selections give you real choices beyond the usual California parade.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
Indianapolis · Indianapolis · French, Japanese
Vida is the kind of wine program that makes you wish more mid-sized American cities had a Jared May running their lists — deep Burgundy, serious California, and a dining concept that actually justifies both. Yes, you'll pay for it, but this is a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winner for real reasons.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Tribeca · New York · French, Japanese
l'abeille is playing at a level most Tribeca restaurants aren't even attempting — a focused, deeply sourced French list with three knowledgeable sommeliers on staff and the glassware to match. The markups will test your commitment, but if Burgundy is your religion, this is one of the better places to practice it in New York.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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