Mass Ave's Solid Wine Bet, Especially Sundays
Mass Ave Arts Corridor · Indianapolis · Contemporary American · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Mesh Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The list at Mesh lands right where you want it for a night out on Mass Ave — not intimidating, not lazy. You get 80-plus selections organized around California, France, Oregon, and Italy, which covers the major food groups without trying to be everything to everyone. It reads like a list curated by someone who actually eats dinner.
The four-region anchor makes sense here: California for the crowd, France for the curious, Oregon for the Pinot heads, Italy for anyone who wants something with actual acid at the table. There are no deep-cellar surprises lurking — this isn't that kind of place — but the breadth is real and the producers aren't just grocery-store filler. The fortified wine section is quietly interesting, with Sandeman 20 Year Tawny and Fonseca Bin 27 showing up at prices that suggest someone at Mesh actually likes Port. We'd love to see more by-the-producer depth in the Oregon and Italian sections, but what's here earns its keep.
Fifteen to twenty-five pours by the glass is a serious commitment for a restaurant this size, and Mesh doesn't squander it. The range appears to track the bottle list, hitting the major regions without doubling down on obvious crowd-pleasers only. Rotation isn't aggressive, but it moves enough that regulars won't be stuck with the same six options every visit.
Argyle Bloomhouse Pinot Noir 2022 — $54
Argyle is one of Oregon's most reliable names and the Bloomhouse sits at roughly 20% over retail — basically nothing by restaurant standards. You're getting serious Willamette Pinot at a price that doesn't require a moment of internal negotiation.
Sandeman Tawny 20 Year
At $22 a pour, this is retailing for $40 a bottle — meaning Mesh is practically giving it away. Twenty-year Tawny is a genuinely complex drink that most people skip because they think Port is for Christmas. Order it. Order it at the end of the meal. Don't skip it.
Alexander Valley Merlot 2020
At $54 on the list against a $20 retail price, this one's marked up 170%. Merlot at that price point from Alexander Valley is a fine wine, but you're paying restaurant premium on top of a bottle that shouldn't anchor a $54 ask. Spend the same money on the Argyle and don't look back.
Argyle Bloomhouse Pinot Noir 2022 + Seasonal small plates
Oregon Pinot has the acidity and red-fruit brightness to move across a table of small plates without bullying anything on the plate. It's the right call when you're grazing through a few courses rather than committing to one big protein.
Sunday — Half-priced bottles of wine all night Sunday — makes the Argyle Pinot a near-steal and the fortified pours even more absurd value.
The Bottom Line
Mesh is a dependable wine program in a city that doesn't always prioritize the list, and Sunday half-price bottles make it genuinely hard to argue with. Come for the food, stay for the Port, and let the Argyle Pinot be your anchor.
Downtown Indianapolis · Indianapolis · American Steakhouse
Prime 47 is a dependable, California-forward steakhouse list that earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence — not because it takes risks, but because it executes the classics reliably and keeps the Cabs flowing. Send a friend here if they want a good bottle with a great steak; just don't send them expecting to discover anything new.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Indianapolis · Indianapolis · French, Japanese
Vida is the kind of wine program that makes you wish more mid-sized American cities had a Jared May running their lists — deep Burgundy, serious California, and a dining concept that actually justifies both. Yes, you'll pay for it, but this is a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winner for real reasons.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Indianapolis · Indianapolis · American Steakhouse
St. Elmo is the rare steakhouse that earns its Best of Award of Excellence without feeling like it's trying to impress anyone — the list is deep, the wines are real, and Monday half-price night is genuinely one of the best deals in Indianapolis. The markups can sting, but the bones of this program are excellent.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Herron-Morton Place · Indianapolis · Fine-Casual American
Tinker Street is the wine list that Indianapolis shouldn't have yet somehow does — globally curious, genuinely deep in spots, and anchored by a few pours that would feel at home at a serious wine bar in any major city. The markups on entry-level bottles keep it from being a full Rager, but the ambition earns a trip.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Mass Ave · Indianapolis · Southern, American, Brew Pub
The Eagle is a genuinely great place to eat fried chicken — the wine list, however, is an afterthought dressed up in a menu. Drink the beer, order the bubbles if you must, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that reciprocates.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Indianapolis · New American
Cerulean is exactly what a serious restaurant in a mid-sized American city should be doing with wine — real producers, fair pours, a sommelier who actually knows the list. Send your friends here, especially if they're doing the tasting menu.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Beaver Creek Plaza · Vail · Contemporary American
Golden Eagle Inn is the kind of reliable mountain wine list that won't embarrass you on a date or a client dinner, but it'll charge you for the altitude at every turn. The Brunello and the Bouchard Beaune are genuine bright spots — find those, skip the Veuve, and you'll have a good night.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail Village · Vail · Contemporary American
Sweet Basil is the best wine list in Vail by a wide margin — 400 bottles, a real Cruvinet program, and a sommelier who put actual thought into the selections. The markups sting, but that's mountain dining; the quality justifies the trip.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
West Sedona · Sedona · Contemporary American
The Hudson isn't going to make any wine lists for its wine list, but it's a solid, competent program for what this place is — a lively upscale-casual spot where the views are doing a lot of the work. Send your friends here for dinner and tell them to stick to the bottles under $70.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
