Albany's Neighborhood Pour, Done Right
Center Square · Albany · Wine Bar
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 15, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Marrone Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Marrone, the list immediately signals that someone here gives a damn — 80-plus bottles spanning Italy, France, Spain, New York, and California is no accident in a Center Square neighborhood spot. The by-the-glass program is genuinely impressive in size, which is usually where wine bars either shine or fall apart. First read: promising.
The regional spread is Marrone's strongest card. Old World anchors — Italy and France — share real estate with domestic picks from California and New York, which shows a willingness to look closer to home without abandoning the classics. Spain gets a seat at the table too, which keeps things from feeling like every other safe American wine list. That said, the selections skew recognizable: Catena, La Crema, Duckhorn, Rombauer — crowd-pleasing labels that won't surprise anyone who's browsed a Total Wine. There's a solid foundation here, but we'd love to see a few more producers that don't already have endcap displays at the grocery store.
Twenty to forty options by the glass is genuinely generous — that's not a token gesture, that's a commitment. It means you can explore without committing to a bottle, which is exactly what a wine bar should encourage. We'd push staff on what's rotating versus what's been sitting open since last Tuesday.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling 2022 — $28
At $28, it's the most approachable bottle on the list and a reliable crowd-pleaser with real versatility. Yes, the markup is still steep relative to retail, but in absolute dollars this is the easiest entry point on the menu — especially if you're splitting a charcuterie board and don't want to commit to a $95 Cab.
Catena Malbec 2021
Most people sleep on Catena because it shows up everywhere, but that's the point — it consistently overdelivers for what it is. At $42 it's not cheap, but the wine itself punches well above its humble retail price, and on a list that skews toward recognizable California names, this Argentinian bottle is the outlier worth ordering.
La Crema Chardonnay 2022
Thirty-eight dollars for La Crema is a tough ask when you can grab it off a shelf for $16. It's a fine, inoffensive Chardonnay, but 'fine and inoffensive' at 138% markup is not a win. Order something else.
Catena Malbec 2021 + Charcuterie Board
The Malbec's dark fruit and firm structure cut right through the fat in cured meats and hold their own against sharp, salty flavors. It's a natural match that doesn't require any overthinking — which is the best kind.
Wednesday — Half-price bottles of wine every Wednesday night.
The Bottom Line
Marrone is the kind of neighborhood wine bar Albany is lucky to have — a knowledgeable staff, a real by-the-glass program, and a Wednesday half-price bottle night that genuinely changes the value math. The markups sting at full price, but if you play it smart (Wednesday, Riesling, Malbec), you walk out happy.
Loudonville · Albany · New American Steakhouse
A steakhouse wine page with a long glass list and a Coravin group for bigger names, but no prices online, so judge it by phone or at the table. For a steak, try the Jordan Cabernet or the Caymus from the Sommelier Selections; for something different, the Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling. Confirm what is pouring and the prices before you order, since the page is undated and says selections may vary. This unrated guide covers the posted wine page, not service, storage or markups.
West End · Albany · British Pub
A short pub wine list where every one of the 15 wines has both a glass and a bottle price. Order the $27 Gionelli Pinot Grigio, or the $45 Tarani Malbec for a red; both are also poured by the glass, at $9 and $13. Confirm current availability and prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Delmar · Albany · American
Normanside's posted drink menu is short and glass-friendly, with 23 wines carrying a glass price from $9 to $15. Order The Wine for Pizza with the $16 pepperoni Detroit-style pie, or take the $12 Pessimist by Daou for a darker red. Confirm current availability and prices before you go; this unrated guide covers the posted drink menu, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Albany · Seafood
Jack's is an oyster house first, and its wine lists back that up with French whites by the glass and the bottle. Start with a half dozen oysters and a glass of the Antoine de la Farge Menetou-Salon at 18, or go for the bottle of Reverdy Ducroux Sancerre at 84; for red, the $14 Catena Malbec is the lowest-priced glass. Confirm current lists and prices when you book; this unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown Albany · Albany · Italian
Cafe Capriccio's glass list is short and Italian-led. Try the Scaia Corvina or the Castello di Bossi Chianti before the usual Pinot Grigio, and put the Barolo with the Pork Osso Buco. The posted list shows no prices, so ask what each glass costs and confirm what is open. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
Western Ave · Albany · Mediterranean
Barcelona's bar menu posts more Spanish and Italian range than you might expect, from Rioja Crianza to a $125 Brunello. Try the Albariño at $9 $35 with seafood, or the Juan Gil red blend at $11 $40 if you want something fuller. Most wines show two prices with no unit labels and the page is undated, so confirm which is glass and which is bottle, and today's availability, when you order. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Southwest Atlanta · Atlanta · Wine Bar
BOSK is quietly doing something interesting in a neighborhood that most Atlanta wine lists ignore completely, and that alone earns it a look. We need more data on specific bottles and pricing before we can tell you exactly what to order, but the concept is right and the vibe is genuinely welcoming. If you're in Southwest Atlanta and want wine without pretense alongside cauliflower bites or a BLT with candied beef bacon, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Acworth · Wine Bar
Broken Anchor isn't going to satisfy anyone hunting rare bottles or obsessing over markups — but that's not who it's for. If you're in Acworth and want to drink local wine in a room where trivia night is a real possibility, this is your place. We'd send a friend here with the right expectations firmly set in advance.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
West Cobb · Marietta · Wine Bar
unWine'd & Tap fills a real gap in West Cobb — a genuinely social wine bar with solid food, good energy on a Friday night, and a staff that seems to care even if they're not Master Sommeliers. We'd send a friend here for a low-stakes date night or a girls' night out, with the caveat that you should explore the list before anchoring to the obvious picks. Reservations on weekends are non-negotiable.
Solid Range
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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