Delaware's Quiet Shore Find Worth Knowing
Fenwick Island · Fenwick Island · American, Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Nantuckets Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Nantuckets reads like a greatest hits of American fine dining — familiar names, comfortable territory, nothing that's going to make you nervous. For a quiet fine-dining room on the Delaware shore, that's not necessarily a criticism. It's a list built to reassure rather than challenge, and it does that job well.
The 100-150 bottle list leans hard into California and Italy, which tracks with the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence earned in 2025. You've got the predictable anchors — Caymus Cabernet, Rombauer Chardonnay, Stag's Leap — alongside Italian representation from Antinori and Santa Margherita. It's not a list that takes risks or digs into obscure appellations, but the producers they've chosen are reliable and the quality floor is high. Gaps exist in anything remotely Old World beyond Italy, and don't expect any natural wine or skin-contact surprises here.
With 10-16 options running $9-$16 a glass, the pour program is functional and priced fairly for a beach-town fine dining room. Expect the usual suspects — Meiomi Pinot Noir, Rombauer Chardonnay, and likely Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio making appearances. Rotation appears minimal, so what you see is what you get night after night.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $60–$75
Jordan consistently punches above its price point and holds its own against bottles costing significantly more. In a list that tops out around $120, this is the bottle that gives you the most California Cabernet experience for the money without veering into Caymus territory.
Antinori Chianti Classico
Most tables at a coastal Delaware seafood spot are reaching for Chardonnay or Cab. The Antinori Chianti Classico gets overlooked, which is a shame — it's a versatile, food-friendly red with real backbone that works as well with their dry aged steaks as it does with anything herbaceous on the menu.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
Santa Margherita is the most marked-up brand name in Italian white wine, full stop. It's fine, it's inoffensive, but you're paying a premium for the label recognition. There's almost certainly a better value pour on this list.
Duckhorn Merlot + Dry Aged Steak
Duckhorn's Merlot has the structure and dark fruit to stand up to the richness of a dry aged cut without overwhelming it. It's a classically safe move that actually delivers — sometimes the obvious call is obvious for a reason.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Nantuckets isn't trying to reinvent the wine list, and it doesn't need to — for a fine dining room on the Fenwick Island shore, this is a carefully curated, fairly priced collection that earns its Wine Spectator credential. Send your friends here knowing they'll drink well, even if they won't be surprised.
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The Lantern Room is what happens when a hotel restaurant actually tries — a locally anchored wine list, a sommelier in the building, and enough interesting producers to make the steep markup sting a little less. Send a friend here if they love Central Coast wine; warn them to skip the Cab and lean into what this coast actually grows.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Scott's Addition · Richmond · American, Seafood
Lillian is the rare spot where the wine list is more ambitious than the address suggests — a focused, France-and-Italy-forward program with legit producers, a knowledgeable floor lead, and bottle prices that don't feel punitive. Send a friend here, tell them to sit at the counter, order oysters, and ask PJ what's open.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
River North · Chicago · American, Seafood
Terrace 16 earns its Wine Spectator badge and delivers a respectable, California-and-France-focused list in one of Chicago's most dramatic dining rooms. Just don't expect to be surprised — the wine is as reliable as the skyline view, and nearly as expensive.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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