Oysters, Ribs, and Monday Wine Deals
West End / State Street · Ithaca · Seafood / Cajun · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Maxie's Supper Club & Oyster Bar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Six bottles, six pours — Maxie's isn't trying to be a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be. What you get is a tight, approachable list that fits the room: loud, fun, oyster-forward, and completely unpretentious. The wine is here to play a supporting role to the raw bar, and it mostly does that job.
The list skims across the familiar — a Malbec, a Cab, a rosé, a Chard, a bubbly, a Sauv Blanc — all crowd-pleasing grapes with no real curve balls. There's a nod to regional producers with the Atwater Vineyards Chardonnay Reserve 2022 out of the Finger Lakes, which is a smart local pick for a restaurant in Ithaca and the most interesting bottle on the list. Beyond that, you're in conventional U.S. wine territory with labels like Thresher, Crosby, and The Pinot Project — grocery store adjacents that do the job without inspiring much conversation. Gaps are obvious: no Champagne beyond the Veuve Ambal Blanc de Blancs, no old world at all, and zero depth for anyone who wants to explore.
All six bottles pour by the glass, which is the whole program — no mysterious cellar selections hiding behind the list, what you see is what you get. Glass prices are approachable, ranging from $8.50 for the Thresher Sauvignon Blanc up to $12 for the Atwater Chardonnay Reserve. For a casual seafood supper club, the by-the-glass game is honest and accessible, even if it's never going to excite anyone who's been to a real wine bar.
Atwater Vineyards Chardonnay Reserve 2022 — $12/glass
Atwater is a legit Finger Lakes producer, and getting a reserve pour from a respected local winery at $12 in a restaurant is genuinely solid. It's the only bottle on the list that reflects where you actually are, and it's the right call next to oysters.
Veuve Ambal Blanc de Blancs NV
Most people skip the sparkling at a casual supper club assuming it's an afterthought, but at $9 a glass, this is a smart, low-risk move with a plate of raw oysters. Blanc de Blancs and briny shellfish is a classic combination, and Veuve Ambal is a solid Crémant de Bourgogne producer. Worth ordering.
Crosby Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
A Cab at a seafood-forward Cajun supper club is already fighting an uphill battle against the menu, and Crosby is a mass-market California label that doesn't give you much reason to order it anywhere. Save the $9 and get another round of oysters.
Veuve Ambal Blanc de Blancs NV + Raw Oysters
Bubbles and raw oysters is one of those combinations that exists for a reason — the acidity and effervescence cut through the brine and reset your palate for the next one. At $9 a glass, this is the most fun you can have with the list.
Monday — $10 off every bottle of wine on Mondays. Combine with the daily 4–6 p.m. half-price raw oysters and clams for a genuinely excellent low-cost evening.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Maxie's is not a wine destination, but it's a genuinely good time with a list that's fair, approachable, and wisely anchored by the Atwater Finger Lakes pour. Show up on a Monday for $10 off every bottle, order the oysters, and don't overthink it.
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
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Occasional
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
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Small but Thoughtful
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Grocery Store
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Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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Acceptable
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Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
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