Greensboro's Secret Weapon for Adventurous Drinkers
· Greensboro · Restaurant · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed May 30, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Machete’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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 & cheese
Lewis & Elm earns the Wild Card badge because it's the kind of unexpected neighborhood wine bar that punches well above its zip code — a sommelier-curated list leaning into Tuscany, Greece, and Sicily inside a cozy South Elm storefront is not what most people expect to find in Greensboro. We'd happily send a friend here for a flight and a cheese board, and tell them to actually listen to whatever the staff recommends. Just know that our sourced pricing detail is thin right now, so go in with curiosity and ask questions — that's the right posture for a place like this anyway.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Greensboro · New American and Wine Bar
1808 Craft & Vine is doing something quietly smart: a fully by-the-glass list at prices that don't punish curiosity, with enough international range to keep things interesting. We don't know the food, we don't know the staff, and the list isn't going to wow a Burgundy collector — but if you're in Greensboro and want to drink something you'd never order at a chain steakhouse, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Greensboro · Wine and Cocktail Bar
Marjae's is doing something genuinely uncommon for a mid-size Southern city: running a wine-forward space with actual expertise behind it, at prices that won't make you wince. We'd send a friend here for a low-key date night or a Thursday tasting without hesitation — just go in ready to ask questions, because the staff seems like they actually want to answer them.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
· Greensboro · Cocktail and Wine Bar
Bitters Social House isn't trying to be a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but the pricing is genuinely fair, a couple of producer picks show real effort, and the by-the-glass setup means you can drink well without committing to a bottle. If you're in Greensboro and need a glass before or after dinner, this is a perfectly honest place to have one.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Greensboro · Italian Steakhouse
Giovanni's is a reliable neighborhood anchor — the room is good, the food has a loyal following, and the Italian reds give you enough to work with if you dig past the Sand Point labels. We'd send a friend here for dinner without hesitation; we'd just steer them straight toward the Barolo or Brunello and skip the California filler.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Greensboro · Steakhouse
Fleming's Greensboro is doing more than most chain steakhouses bother to do with wine — 42 by-the-glass options and actual Alsatian whites on a Greensboro wine list deserves acknowledgment. The markups are real and the list isn't going to surprise anyone who's been to a Fleming's before, but if you're eating a bone-in ribeye and want a proper glass without guesswork, this delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Memorial · Houston · Restaurant
A flexible list for Memorial's upscale tavern: 20 pours by the glass in 6 oz or 9 oz sizes, plus bottle sections for Burgundy, Bordeaux, Piedmont and Tuscany. Start with the $18 Condado de Haza Tempranillo or the $22 Girard Bourgogne by the glass, and look at the Bordeaux spotlight if you are ordering steak. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Scottsdale · Restaurant
A long, Burgundy-and-Bordeaux-heavy list with a 24-pour glass page that starts at 13. Try the Maysara Momtazi Pinot Noir 2016 or the Sandy Cove Sauvignon Blanc from the glass page, and confirm what is open and what the two numbers mean. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Providence · Restaurant
A mostly Italian and Californian list that is easy to scan but vague about what its two-price entries mean. Order the Terrazas Malbec or the Demarie Arneis, ask which price is the pour, and confirm current prices before you go. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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