Winston-Salem's Old World obsession hiding in plain sight
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Small Plates · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 19, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Manolo's Boutique Wines’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list at Manolo's is short — 34 labels — but it reads like someone cleared out a serious private cellar and decided to share. Barolo, Brunello, Gevrey-Chambertin, Margaux: this is not the wine program you expect to find in Winston-Salem. It commands your full attention before you've even sat down.
The focus is unmistakably Old World, and the curation is deliberate. Italy leads the charge with a murderers' row of heavyweights — Barolo DOCG, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone della Valpolicella, and a Super Tuscan rounding out the reds, while Friulano and a Chianti Classico Riserva give you entry points at saner prices. France holds its own with Gevrey-Chambertin, a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and a Margaux at the very top of the ceiling, plus solid white coverage through Chablis Premier Cru, Meursault, and Sancerre. Spain adds real depth — Rioja Gran Reserva, Ribera del Duero Reserva, and a Priorat DOQ that most wine bars wouldn't touch. California shows up (Napa Cab, Russian River Pinot, Paso Robles Zin), but this is clearly not that kind of place. Gaps? Virtually no Southern Hemisphere, no bubbles listed, no Riesling. But what's here is chosen with real intent.
Here's the remarkable part: all 34 bottles are available by the glass. That means you can pour a Gevrey-Chambertin or a Brunello without committing to the full bottle — which is genuinely rare and genuinely generous for a list of this caliber. Glass prices run from $18 up to $250, so the range is real; this isn't just symbolic access.
Chianti Classico Riserva — $85/bottle
At the lower end of this list's price spectrum, a well-made Chianti Classico Riserva punches well above its weight in this company — structured, food-friendly, and the kind of bottle that doesn't feel like you're settling when everything around it costs twice as much.
Friulano
At $55, this is the most affordable pour on the list and one of the most interesting. Friulano is a grape most people blow right past on their way to Pinot Grigio, but it's got real texture, a slightly bitter almond finish, and enough personality to make the Chardonnay crowd question their choices.
Margaux
At $400 a bottle, this is the most expensive wine on the list, and unless you know exactly which producer and vintage you're getting, it's a lot of faith to place in a 34-label boutique list. The Margaux appellation trades heavily on its name; without full producer transparency, that's a steep gamble.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape + Charcuterie and aged cheese small plates
Châteauneuf-du-Pape's blend of dark fruit, garrigue, and earthy spice is exactly what you want against cured meats and nutty aged cheeses — the wine's generous body holds up to the fat, and the herbal notes cut right through it.
The Bottom Line
Manolo's is a genuine surprise for Winston-Salem — a focused, serious wine program that gives you by-the-glass access to bottles most restaurants lock behind full-bottle commitments. The markup is not subtle, but you're paying for curation and access, and if you pick smart, the experience delivers.
· Winston Salem · Thai
Thai Harmony is genuinely worth visiting for the food — the khao soi and kai yang have real fans for a reason, and the downtown space is one of the better dining rooms in Winston-Salem. But come for the kitchen, not the cellar. Until the wine program shows us something specific worth recommending, you're better off ordering a Thai iced tea and saving the wine for another night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Modern Mexican
Alma Mexicana is a genuine wild card — a modern Mexican restaurant in Winston-Salem with a wine program that's quietly pointing at Old World Europe instead of the expected California house pour. We need the full list to give you the real numbers, but the instinct here is good enough to warrant ordering something other than a margarita.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Bottle Shop
The Caviste is doing something genuinely weird for Winston-Salem — a curated, Austria-only bottle shop with prices that should embarrass most restaurant wine lists. If you're even slightly curious about Grüner Veltliner or natural-leaning reds, this is a low-risk, high-reward detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Winery Tasting Room / Light Bites
Divine Llama is a fun, farm-genuine detour if you're exploring North Carolina wine country and want something local and unpretentious. Don't come for depth or discovery beyond the estate — come for the story, the setting, and a glass of Traminette you probably wouldn't have ordered anywhere else.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Winston Salem · American Cafe
West End Cafe isn't a wine destination, but it's a perfectly decent place to drink something decent without overpaying for it. Send a friend here if they want wine with dinner and aren't looking to make an event out of it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Market
Little Pep is doing something genuinely uncommon for Winston-Salem: a short, confident, all-by-the-glass natural wine list with real producer cred and fair prices. Send a curious friend here; skip sending someone who wants a Napa Cab.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Santa Barbara · Wine Bar / Small Plates
Villa Wine Bar runs a focused, well-priced list built around Santa Barbara County producers who actually deserve the spotlight — Beckmen, Babcock, Storm, and Alma Rosa are all doing real work. The by-the-glass program is nearly comprehensive, the bottle prices are fair, and the regional identity is clear. If you're in Santa Barbara and want to drink local without getting gouged, this is a reliable call.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Biloxi · Wine Bar / Small Plates
Sea Grapes Wine Café has a name that promises more than it delivers — if you're here for wine, the Minuty rosé or the Taittinger are your only real reasons to engage with the list. Otherwise, order a cocktail and let the list be someone else's problem.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Coeur d'Alene · Wine Bar / Small Plates
Stylus is the kind of place that shouldn't exist in a mid-sized Idaho city but absolutely does, and you should go before the rest of the country catches on. If you're road-tripping through the Panhandle or landing in Coeur d'Alene for a weekend, this is your first stop — not your last.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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