Twenty-Three Bottles, Zero Boring Choices
· Washington · Restaurant · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 5, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Moon Rabbit’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Twenty-three labels sounds like it should feel thin, but Moon Rabbit's list reads like someone with actual convictions put it together. There's a Testalonga Chenin Blanc from South Africa sitting next to a 2006 Le Vieux Donjon from the Rhône, and that kind of range doesn't happen by accident. This is a short list that punches well above its weight class.
The whites are the clear strength here — Karthäuserhof Riesling, Clemens Busch Riesling, Véronique Günther-Chereau's Muscadet, and a Malinga Grüner Veltliner give you a serious European white wine education in about eight selections. Reds lean natural and low-intervention: Commando G Garnacha, Nicolas Chemarin Gamay, La Stoppa Macchiona, and Castel Noarna Lagrein cover a lot of interesting ground without chasing trend-of-the-moment labels. There's a skin contact section featuring the Summer Wolff 'Ette' Baratuciat — a grape almost nobody outside of Piedmont can name — which tells you everything about the list's ambition. The one genuine gap is depth on the Champagne and sparkling side, where Azimut Cava holds down the fort mostly alone.
Eleven pours by the glass from a 23-bottle list means nearly half the cellar is available without committing to a bottle, which is genuinely generous. Glass prices run $14 to $45, and notably there's a zero-proof inclusion — the Domaine des Grottes 'Antilope' — which shows some thoughtfulness about the full table. We'd zero in on the Phelan Farm Savagnin/Chardonnay as a glass pour that most restaurants wouldn't dare put near a by-the-glass program.
Azimut Cava Brut Nature — $14/glass
At the floor of the glass pricing, a Brut Nature Cava is the kind of aperitif move that costs $14 and drinks like you made a smart decision. Brut Nature means zero dosage — bone dry, honest bubbles, no sugar to hide behind. Steal at this price.
Le Vieux Donjon Clairette / Grenache Blanc / Roussanne 2006
A 2006 white Rhône blend on a list this size is a genuine outlier. Le Vieux Donjon is a serious Châteauneuf producer and a white from them with nearly two decades of age is the kind of thing that disappears fast at restaurants that know what they have — and quietly sits unordered at restaurants that don't. Order it before someone else does.
Freja Cellars Pinot Noir 2017
On a list this focused on distinct, high-character producers, a 2017 domestic Pinot Noir without a clear regional or producer story feels like the one placeholder pick. When everything else on the list has a reason to exist, the absence of one here is noticeable.
Clemens Busch 'Vom Grauen Schiefer' Riesling 2023 + Any dish on the menu with bright acidity, citrus, or spice
Clemens Busch's slate Riesling from the Mosel is tightly wound with mineral tension and citrus snap — it's built to cut through richness and elevate anything with heat or acidity. Given Moon Rabbit's cuisine context, this is the bottle we'd want alongside anything bold and aromatic on the menu.
The Bottom Line
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.
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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
Georgetown · Washington · French
Lutèce is a strong place to explore French wine with a firm budget in mind. The posted list runs from a $64 Southern Rhône red to $600 Champagne, so tell Chris Ray what you want to spend and let that guide the conversation. Confirm prices and availability when you book or arrive.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
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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
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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 · 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
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Washington · Washington · Italian
Via Sophia is doing something genuinely focused in a city full of lists that try to please everyone — an all-Italy program with real depth, fair pricing, and a sommelier who actually cares. Send your friends here, tell them to ignore the Sassicaia, and order the Amarone.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Seneca · Restaurant
Lighthouse Lake Keowee is the kind of wine list that works for its setting — dependable, crowd-friendly, and priced at a slight premium because the view is part of the tab. Don't come looking for discovery, but you won't be stuck with bad wine either.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Anderson · Restaurant
Vine & Barrel is doing something quietly impressive in a market that didn't ask for it — nearly the entire list poured by the glass, real producers, and prices that won't make you wince. If you're passing through Anderson and need a reason to stop, this is it.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Las Vegas · Restaurant
Lamaii is the rare Las Vegas restaurant where the wine list reflects a genuine point of view — the grower Champagne program alone is worth the visit. Send a friend here and tell them to order a Spécial Club.
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.
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