Bubbles-only list in a beer bar? Sure.
Downtown / Massachusetts Street · Lawrence · New American Gastropub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Merchants Pub & Plate’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Merchants is, by all accounts, a craft beer bar that happens to be inside a gorgeous old bank building on Mass Street. So when you flip to the wine section and find a tightly curated list of six labels — all sparkling — it's either the most confident move in Lawrence or a total accident. We're going to call it confident.
Here's the thing: Merchants didn't try to do everything and fail. They picked a lane — bubbles — and actually stocked it thoughtfully. You've got entry-level Benvolio Prosecco from Veneto, a Cava Brut Nature from Penedès, a Blanc de Blancs from Burgundy, the excellent Argyle Vintage Brut from Oregon's Dundee Hills, and two Champagnes (Collet and Veuve Clicquot) anchoring the top end. That's five countries and multiple production methods covered in six bottles, which is a minor miracle for a gastropub whose main event is draft beer. The glaring gap, of course, is anything still — no red, no white, no rosé by the bottle — though VinZant Wines does show up in glass pour form to fill that void.
The glass program saves this list from being a one-trick pony. VinZant's Rosé of Syrah 'Evie en Rose' and their Red Blend 'But I Am I' pour at $12 and $15 respectively — unusually affordable for pours with a local, artisan backstory. Happy Hour drops a $7 house red, white, and bubbles option daily from 3 to 6pm, which is a genuinely good deal if you're not too precious about the label.
Les Allies Blanc de Blancs Brut, Burgundy, France — $35
Cheapest bottle on the list and it's a Blanc de Blancs from Burgundy — not a watered-down party Prosecco. At $35, you're getting real structure and a proper brunch-table wine for the price of a mediocre cocktail round.
Argyle 'Vintage Brut' 2018, Dundee, Oregon
Most people at a gastropub are reaching for the Veuve because the name is safe. Skip it. The Argyle Vintage Brut is a serious Oregon sparkling wine from one of the state's best producers — it has actual age on it (2018), real complexity, and it costs $111 less than the Yellow Label. Order it before someone else at the table grabs the Champagne out of reflex.
Veuve Clicquot 'Yellow Label', Champagne, France
At $185, you're paying a significant premium for a label everyone already knows. Veuve Yellow Label retails around $60-65 — that's roughly a 3x markup, which is on the steep side for a restaurant that otherwise prices fairly. It's fine Champagne, but the Argyle or even the Collet will drink better per dollar at this table.
Azimut Cava 'Brut Nature', Penedes, Spain + Chicken and Waffles
Brut Nature Cava has zero dosage — bone dry, high acid, tiny persistent bubbles. That cuts right through the fried chicken fat and the sweetness of syrup without disappearing into the dish. It's the kind of pairing that sounds weird until you try it, then you wonder why you ever drank orange juice with brunch.
Daily — 25% off all wine bottles during Happy Hour, 3pm–6pm daily in the bar and on the patio. $7 house red, white, and bubbles by the glass during the same window.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Merchants is a beer bar that quietly runs the best sparkling wine list in Lawrence — and with Happy Hour discounts daily and a local glass pour option from VinZant, it's genuinely worth ordering wine here. Just don't show up expecting a red with your burger.
West Lawrence · Lawrence · American bar & grill
Set'em Up Jacks is a great sports bar that has absolutely no interest in being a wine destination, and that's fine — but don't come here thirsty for anything other than beer. Order the wings, grab a pint, and leave the wine list for the person who forgot to bring cash for a cocktail.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Lawrence · Lawrence · Italian
Basil Leaf isn't a wine destination, but with half-price bottle nights on Thursdays and Sundays and markups that are genuinely fair, it's the rare neighborhood Italian where you won't resent your wine bill. Order the Chianti, get the pasta, come back on Sunday.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
University of Kansas Campus / The Oread · Lawrence · Rooftop Bar / American
Nest on Ninth is a view bar with a wine list that does its job without embarrassing itself — fair prices, recognizable pours, and nothing to get excited about. Come for the rooftop, order the AIX Rosé, and don't expect more than that.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Lawrence · Lawrence · Tex-Mex
Cactus Grill is genuinely fun for what it is — a casual Tex-Mex spot with solid food and good margaritas — but the wine list is purely ornamental. Come for the tacos, drink the cocktails, and don't overthink the wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Massachusetts Street · Lawrence · American Brewpub
Free State is a Kansas institution and one of the best craft beer experiences in the Midwest — come for the beer, stay for the burger, and leave the wine to someone else. The list is fine in the way a gas station sandwich is fine: it exists, it won't hurt you, but it's not why you're here.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / 9th & Massachusetts · Lawrence · European-style café, coffee and cocktail bar
The Bourgeois Pig isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — and that's what makes the wine list a pleasant surprise rather than an embarrassment. If you're in the neighborhood for coffee or cocktails and the mood strikes, the rosé is a legit pour at a fair price.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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