Molecular magic meets serious French bottles
Washington · Spanish · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 11, 2026
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.
Georgetown · Washington · French
Start with the $64 Aphillantes bottle if you want Southern Rhône red within a firm budget. For a smaller order, ask about the drinks-menu choices and pour sizes. This is a source-based menu guide, not an onsite tasting; allow for the posted 20% service charge.
Washington · Washington · Seafood
Oceanaire is a safe, well-executed wine destination for California Chardonnay lovers who want reliable bottles with their seafood without too many surprises. Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence since 2017 is well-earned for what it is — just know this list was built for comfort, not adventure.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Washington, DC · Washington · Steakhouse
STK DC is a vibe restaurant that treats wine as an accessory, not a feature. If you're here for the scene, the cocktails will serve you better than the list ever will.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Middle Eastern / North African
Maydan's wine list is one of the most geographically coherent and genuinely adventurous in Washington, DC — it matches the kitchen's ambition and then some. If you're willing to let go of the familiar, this is one of the best by-the-glass programs in the city for opening your eyes to what the wine world looks like beyond Europe.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Restaurant
Moon Rabbit's wine list is doing something rare: it's short enough to read in two minutes and interesting enough to talk about for twenty. If you care about well-chosen, adventurous bottles at prices that won't wreck your dinner bill, send your people here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Washington · Washington · Spanish
Xiquet is doing something genuinely rare in D.C. — a tightly edited, Spain-first wine program inside a room that actually earns it. Four sommeliers and a Wood Spectator Award of Excellence since 2023 confirm this isn't an accident; just know you're paying for the setting as much as the bottle.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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
Newark · Newark · Spanish
Spanish Tavern is a Newark institution worth visiting for the atmosphere and the paella, but the wine program doesn't quite match the room's ambitions. Drink something Spanish, keep it simple, and let the food carry the night.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Bethesda · Bethesda · Spanish
Spanish Diner Bethesda is a wildcard: a laid-back all-day spot with a wine list that has no business being this interesting. The markups keep it from being a destination wine play, but if you're in Bethesda and want to drink actual Spain with your tapas, this is your move.
Small but Thoughtful
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
