Solid pours next to basketball's holy ground
Riverfront / Basketball Hall of Fame · Springfield · American Steakhouse and Tavern · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 1, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Max's Tavern is exactly what you'd expect from a well-run sports-adjacent steakhouse — tight, approachable, and unlikely to surprise you. Fourteen labels that mirror the fourteen by-the-glass pours means the whole bottle program fits on a single laminated page. No pretense, no deep rabbit holes, just a serviceable list built to move alongside a prime rib.
The list covers its bases without breaking a sweat: Sonoma Chardonnay in two expressions (including the house Max Family Cuvée), a Dr. Loosen Riesling for anyone craving something with actual personality, and a Caparzo Rosso di Montalcino that sticks out like a pleasant surprise amid the Cabernet-and-Malbec crowd. South America shows up with Santa Carolina and Alta Vista, keeping the lower price tier honest. The gaps are real though — no Syrah, no aged reds worth talking about, and the Pinot Noir options (Imagery and A to Z) are pleasant but unremarkable grocery-tier picks. The St. Michael-Eppan Pinot Grigio from Trentino-Alto is the one moment the list stretches beyond the safe zone.
Every bottle on the list is available by the glass, which is a genuine convenience even if it limits range. Pours run $9 to $17, with the Dr. Loosen Riesling at a sensible $10 and the A to Z Pinot Noir topping out at $17 — the latter feeling a touch ambitious for what's in the glass. Rotation appears static; don't expect seasonal surprises or a chalk board with something new.
Dr. Loosen Riesling 2021 Mosel — $10/glass, $36/bottle
Dr. Loosen's off-dry Mosel Riesling consistently punches well above its price point, and at $10 a glass in a steakhouse setting it's a genuine bargain. It's the most interesting pour on the list for the money, and it cuts through a rich sauce better than half the reds here.
Caparzo Rosso di Montalcino 2021 Tuscany
Nobody comes to a Basketball Hall of Fame steakhouse expecting a Rosso di Montalcino, but here it is. Caparzo is a solid Brunello producer and their Rosso is the little sibling worth ordering — earthy, structured, built for red meat. Most tables will walk past it for the Napa Cab and that's their loss.
A to Z Pinot Noir 2019 Willamette Valley
At $17 a glass or $64 a bottle, A to Z is being asked to carry weight it can't hold. This is a widely distributed, entry-level Oregon Pinot that retails for well under $20 a bottle. The markup here is the steepest on the list and the juice doesn't justify it.
Caparzo Rosso di Montalcino 2021 Tuscany + Prime Rib
Sangiovese-based reds and slow-roasted beef are a classic match for a reason — the wine's bright acidity and savory edge cut the fat and keep each bite tasting fresh. The Rosso di Montalcino is the most structurally capable red on this list, and prime rib is exactly what it was built for.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Max's Tavern won't win any awards for its wine program, but it's fairly priced, honestly assembled, and better than it needs to be given the location. If you're eating a steak next to the Basketball Hall of Fame, you'll drink fine — just order the Rosso di Montalcino and skip the A to Z.
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The MGM Springfield Tapas Lounge is a perfectly acceptable place to drink wine if you're already at the casino — just don't expect the list to excite you or the markups to be kind. Order by the glass, keep it simple, and save your serious wine curiosity for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Outer Springfield / Boston Road · Springfield · Italian-American casual dining
We wouldn't send a friend here for wine — we'd tell them to order a beer or a cocktail and enjoy the pasta. The Bertani Amarone is a genuine curiosity, but one interesting bottle surrounded by corporate-approved crowd-pleasers at steep markups doesn't make a wine program; it makes a footnote.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Riverfront · Springfield · Tex-Mex and American casual dining
Chili's Springfield Riverfront is not a wine destination — it's a place where wine exists so the menu isn't technically dry. Order a margarita, enjoy your ribs, and leave the wine list alone.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Riverfront / Hall of Fame · Springfield · Bar / Steakhouse
Max's Tavern is a reliable steakhouse wine program that punches slightly above its tourist-anchor location — the sommelier presence and European inclusions keep it from being generic, even if the pricing reflects the zip code. Send a friend here for dinner and tell them to skip the Cakebread.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown · Springfield · Wine Bar / German
The Fort Cellar Bar is doing more than most in Springfield, but steep markups and a list built for comfort over curiosity keep it from being anything more than a reliable neighborhood stop. Order the Pieropan, skip the top-shelf Napa, and enjoy the fact that this place exists at all.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Basketball Hall of Fame / Riverfront · Springfield · Casual American / Chicago-Style Pizzeria
UNO Springfield isn't a wine destination and makes no pretense of being one — come for the deep dish, order a beer, or grab the Wairau River if you need something in a glass. Sending a friend here specifically for wine would be a strange thing to do to a friend.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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