Molecular magic meets serious French bottles
Washington · Spanish · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 11, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Minibar by José Andrés’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
When your meal starts with a gin and tonic served as a ravioli, the wine list better keep up — and at Minibar, it largely does. The list is tight at 150-200 bottles, but the names on it read like a greatest-hits album of French and Spanish fine wine. This is a destination tasting menu first and a wine program second, and the list knows it.
France dominates, which tracks with the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence the restaurant has held since 2014. You'll find heavy-hitters like Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Henri Jayer, Domaine Leflaive, and Château Pétrus sharing space with Spanish royalty — Vega Sicilia and Álvaro Palacios's L'Ermita among them. Krug anchors the Champagne section, which feels right for a meal this theatrical. The list isn't wide, but every slot earns its place; there's no filler here, just intentional choices built around the tasting menu format.
With 10-15 glass pours, the by-the-glass program is modest but curated — expect options that rotate to complement whatever version of the tasting menu is running. The pairing program at $150-$250 per person is where this list really lives; ordering by the glass feels like bringing a pocket knife to a dinner where everyone else has a chef's knife.
Krug Champagne — $80+
In the context of a tasting menu running hundreds of dollars per head, Krug by the glass or as a pairing opener is the move — it holds up against the bold, acid-driven bites that open the meal and gives you a reference point for what elevated glassware can do.
Álvaro Palacios L'Ermita
Everyone at the table is eyeing the DRC and the Pétrus, but L'Ermita — Palacios's singular old-vine Garnacha from Priorat — is the Spanish soul of this list. It's a wine that matches the kitchen's Spanish DNA and gets overlooked next to the French flagships.
Château Pétrus
It's an icon, no argument there, but at Minibar's markup levels and in a tasting menu setting where you're sharing attention with 20-plus courses, dropping four figures on Pétrus is a tough sell. The wine deserves a quieter room.
Domaine Leflaive + Jicama with uni and caviar
A white Burgundy from Leflaive — all minerality and restrained richness — cuts right through the brine of the uni and caviar while the jicama's crunch keeps things lively. It's the rare pairing where both the wine and the dish get better.
The Bottom Line
Minibar is not a wine destination in the traditional sense — it's a culinary theater with a seriously curated supporting cast. If you're going for the experience, lean into the pairing menu; the list was built for exactly that.
· Washington · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is one of the more focused and honest Greek programs you'll find at a mid-to-high scale restaurant in D.C. The by-the-glass selection is wide, the pricing doesn't insult you, and the Greek variety depth is genuinely impressive. If you've been waiting for a reason to finally figure out what Xinomavro tastes like, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão's wine list is exactly what a national Brazilian steakhouse chain's wine list looks like: functional, familiar, and priced for margin rather than your benefit. The by-the-glass count is impressive on paper, but most of the options are labels you've seen at your grocery store for a fraction of what they're charging here. If you're coming for the meat — and you should be — stick to the Catena Malbec and enjoy the show.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Washington · Washington · Steak House
A 20-wine by-the-glass list with every pour between $14 and $30, split across four sparkling, six white, two rosé and eight red. With a steak, start with the $26 Clos Duval Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or the $22 Monte Antico Supremus; for the cheapest glass, take the $14 Dr. Loosen Riesling. Pour sizes aren't posted and the page is undated, so confirm today's wines. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown DC · Washington · Steakhouse
A steakhouse beverage menu with 30 wines by the glass and a bottle list that is mostly California, with some France, Italy and Portugal. Start with the $9/glass happy hour Bonanza Cabernet if you arrive in the window, or the Eroica Riesling, the only Riesling on the glass list, and ask for prices because regular wine prices aren't posted. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Georgetown · Washington · Seafood, Steakhouse
An unpriced list that is easier to read for what it offers than for what it costs. If you want Bordeaux, ask for the 2020 Margaux de Brane Cantenac, or look at the Brunello di Montalcino in Sommelier's Selections, and get the price before you commit. This unrated guide covers the posted Beverage Menu, not service, storage or markups.
Washington · Washington · Latin, Vegetarian
A wide-ranging list with 14 wines by the glass from $17 to $95 and a bottle book that runs from $60 to $1,275. Start with the $17 Eichinger Grüner Veltliner or the $20 Pêcheur Trousseau, and ask for the Natural Wines section if you want something low-intervention. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
King · Portland · Spanish
A Spanish tapas-bar wine page with glass and bottle prices from 13/50 and a ten-sherry list. Start with the Pago del Cielo Celeste Verdejo at 13 a glass, try the chilled Vara y Pulgar Tintilla at 17 if you want something different, and order the Miquel Pons Cava with the croquetas. The page says the posted menu may differ from the restaurant's, so confirm prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Washington · Washington · Spanish
A glass-focused, Spain-leaning wine menu with a full sherry section and no bottle list posted. Start with the $17 Valtravieso Crianza or the $25 La Vizcaína Mencía, and order the $12 Manzanilla Fina with the jamón if you want to see how the sherry list works. Confirm prices, since the menu is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
Atlanta · Atlanta · Spanish
Buena Vida doesn't have the deepest list in Atlanta, but they've done real work curating twenty bottles that actually match the food and the spirit of the place — and with 18 pours available by the glass at fair prices, it's one of the more inviting wine setups on the tapas scene. Send your friends here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
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
