Greensboro's Secret Weapon for Adventurous Drinkers
· Greensboro · Restaurant · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · May 30, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Machete’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You don't expect to find Palestinian wine and Croatian Welschriesling in Greensboro, NC — and yet here we are. Machete's list reads like someone with a real passport and actual opinions built it from scratch. This is not a Kendall-Jackson situation.
Forty-five labels spread across sparkling, white, red, rosé, and orange categories with genuine geographic range — Loire, Burgundy, Sicily, Friuli, Penedès, Emilia, Saar, and even the West Bank. The Cremisan Star of Bethlehem from Palestine 2023 alone signals that whoever curated this list is not playing it safe. There's a thoughtful sparkling section anchored by the Delamotte Blanc de Blancs 2014 and a proper Champagne presence, plus natural-leaning producers like Milan Nestarec and B.R.O.T. sitting comfortably alongside classic Loire names like Claude Branger and Château Pierre-Bise. The main gap is on the red side — we'd love to see the same ambition applied there as the whites and sparklings clearly command the most attention.
Thirty-six by-the-glass options on a 45-label list is a genuinely impressive commitment — that's essentially the whole cellar open and breathing. Prices run $10 to $22.50 per glass, which keeps adventurous ordering accessible rather than punishing. The range means you can walk through a mini wine education in a single dinner without having to commit to a bottle.
Claude Branger Melon de Bourgogne, Loire 2022 — $13
Muscadet from a serious producer at glass-pour prices is a genuine steal — this is the kind of crisp, mineral white that costs twice as much when it shows up on lists in bigger cities.
Cremisan Star of Bethlehem, W. Bank Palestine 2023
Most tables will walk right past this one, which is a mistake. Palestinian wine is one of the more underexplored categories in the world right now, and Cremisan is the benchmark producer — this is a conversation-starter and a genuinely interesting glass.
Delamotte Blanc de Blancs, Champagne 2014
Delamotte is lovely and the 2014 vintage is solid, but at the top of the bottle price range you're paying a meaningful markup for a name that's still essentially Le Mesnil's second label. Unless you're celebrating, the sparklers lower on the list deliver more excitement per dollar.
Alta Mora Etna Bianco, Sicily 2023 + Any grilled or spiced meat dish on the menu
Etna Bianco's volcanic minerality and bright acidity cut through char and spice without fighting the food — it's one of the more food-aggressive whites you can pour, and Alta Mora is one of Etna's most reliable names.
The Bottom Line
Machete is punching well above its weight class for a mid-sized Southern city — the list is genuinely curious, the by-the-glass program is absurdly generous, and the pricing won't make you feel robbed. Send your wine-nerd friends here immediately.
South Elm · Greensboro · Wine Bar & Retail
Tasting Room is the kind of wine bar Greensboro didn't know it needed — approachable enough for beginners, interesting enough for people who care, and free of the pretense that kills the fun. If you're in the area, skip the chain restaurant wine list and come here instead.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Friendly Center · Greensboro · Korean Fried Chicken and Asian Fusion
Bonchon Greensboro is a legitimately great spot for Korean fried chicken, and the wine list knows it's irrelevant. Come for the wings, drink the beer, and only touch the Canyon Road if it's $3 a glass.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Friendly Center / West Greensboro · Greensboro · Asian-inspired Chinese
P.F. Chang's Greensboro checks the box on wine the same way it checks every other corporate box — reliably, joylessly, and at a markup. If you're here for the food, stick to the Riesling and call it a night; the rest of the list isn't worth the deliberation.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Wendover / West Greensboro · Greensboro · Casual American steakhouse with Australian-inspired theme
We wouldn't send a friend here for the wine — we'd tell them to order a beer or a cocktail and save their wine calories for somewhere that gives a damn. The food can be fine; the wine program is an afterthought.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Friendly Center · Greensboro · Upscale Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Greensboro doesn't take risks with wine, and it doesn't need to — the list is professionally managed, properly stored, and staffed by someone who actually knows it. If you're celebrating a promotion, this works. Just don't expect to discover anything.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Westridge / Holden Road · Greensboro · Italian
Positano isn't trying to be a wine destination, but its Italian-focused list punches well above its neighborhood-restaurant weight class. Fair prices, real regional variety, and a few genuinely interesting picks make this worth ordering a bottle instead of just a cocktail.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Las Vegas · Restaurant
Lamaii is the rare Las Vegas restaurant where the wine list reflects a genuine point of view — the grower Champagne program alone is worth the visit. Send a friend here and tell them to order a Spécial Club.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Spokane Valley · Spokane Valley · Restaurant
Max at Mirabeau's wine list is a thoughtful, locally-rooted program that punches above its size — the near-total by-the-glass availability alone makes it worth ordering a second pour. Not a destination wine program, but for Spokane Valley, it's doing the right things.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Houston · Restaurant
Bar Bludorn is exactly the kind of wine program Houston needs more of — thoughtful, fairly priced, and deep enough by the glass that you can actually explore without buying a bottle. It's not a destination wine list, but it's a genuinely good one, and we'd send a friend here without hesitation.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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