Metier
Deep Cellar Flex for Serious Wine Collectors
Shaw · Washington · Contemporary American Fine Dining · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You open Metier's wine list and immediately know you're in rare air. 500+ bottles including a 1982 Chasse-Spleen and serious Austrian Rieslings from Alzinger — this is Eric Ziebold's love letter to collectors who want something they can't find anywhere else in D.C.
Selection Deep Dive
The list spans the world's major wine regions with serious depth in French classics and domestic heavy-hitters, but it's the curveballs that impress. Natural wines from Leo Steen's Jurassic Park Chenin Blanc sit alongside Virginia Bordeaux blends from RDV and Washington Rhône-style reds from DeLille Cellars. Old World depth meets New World exploration, with Austrian Grüner Veltliner from producers like Wimmer-Czerny and Wachau Rieslings that most restaurants don't bother sourcing. This is a list built for the tasting menu format — wines that evolve over multiple courses, not crowd-pleasing one-glass wonders.
By the Glass
With 25-30 options by the glass, Metier gives you serious choice even if you're not committing to a full bottle. The glass pours lean toward the adventurous side of things, likely rotating with seasonal tasting menu shifts. For a restaurant at this price point, the BTG program shows they're not just pushing trophy bottles — they want you exploring even if you're dining solo.
Wimmer-Czerny Weelfel Alte Reben Grüner Veltliner — $80-120 estimated
Old-vine Austrian Grüner at the lower end of their range still delivers complexity and age-worthiness that punches above its weight
Leo Steen Jurassic Park Chenin Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley 2012
California Chenin with age on it is rare enough, but from a natural wine producer in Santa Ynez? This is the kind of unexpected pick that makes sommelier-driven lists worth exploring
DeLille Cellars Doyenne Métier Rhône Blend, Yakima Valley 2014
Custom cuvée with the restaurant's name feels like trophy bottle territory — likely marked up for the branding flex rather than the juice inside
Alzinger Loibenberg Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2016 + Seasonal tasting menu course with rich fish or poultry
Smaragd-level Wachau Riesling has the weight and acidity to cut through butter sauces while lifting delicate proteins — textbook pairing for refined tasting menu cooking
🔥 The Bottom Line
This is where you go when you want to drink bottles you can't find anywhere else and have the budget to match. The list justifies the steep prices with rarity and curation, but expect markups that reflect the fine dining setting. If you're chasing unicorns or want to let the somm guide you through something truly special, Metier delivers.
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