Harrisburg's Best-Kept European Wine Secret
Midtown · Harrisburg · Wine Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 19, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Note. Bistro & Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Note. in Midtown Harrisburg, the wine list does something most central Pennsylvania restaurant lists refuse to do: it actually tries. The list leans hard into Europe — Mosel Riesling, Cahors Malbec, Piedmont Nebbiolo — rather than defaulting to the California Cab-and-Chardonnay safety net that dominates the region. It's a short list, but it's been curated with a point of view.
The list is a tidy pan-European tour with genuine range: a Columbard-Ugni Blanc from Gascony sits next to a Gruner Veltliner from Rohrendorf and a Dry Riesling from the Mosel, which tells you someone here has opinions. On the red side, a Malbec from Cahors (the original, inky French version, not the Argentine crowd-pleaser) and a Nebbiolo from Piedmont are both confident picks that reward curious drinkers. The gaps are on the domestic and New World side — California is barely a footnote — which is fine by us, but might frustrate guests expecting something familiar. Chianti Classico and a Côtes-du-Rhône Grenache/Syrah round out the reds with solid, food-friendly choices.
The by-the-glass program punches above its weight for a small Harrisburg bistro, covering everything from a Brut Sparkling out of Languedoc to a Burgundy Chardonnay and a Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc. Pricing runs $13–$17 per glass, which is on the higher end for this market — the Nebbiolo at $17/glass and Burgundy Chardonnay at $16/glass feel like they're carrying the overhead. There's no visible rotation or seasonal refresh, which is a missed opportunity for a place that could easily keep regulars engaged.
Dry Riesling, Mosel, Germany — $13/glass (estimated)
Mosel Riesling is one of the most food-flexible, terroir-driven whites in the world, and it consistently gets ignored on American lists in favor of blander options. If it's priced in the lower tier here, it's the smartest pour on the menu — high acid, stone fruit, and a little slate minerality that works with almost anything on the small plates menu.
Malbec, Cahors, France
Most guests see Malbec and think Argentina — ripe, soft, easy. Cahors Malbec is a different animal entirely: darker, earthier, with more grip and structure. It's the kind of wine that makes people stop mid-sip and ask what they're drinking. Order it.
Brut Sparkling, Languedoc, France
At $56/bottle, a Languedoc sparkling wine — almost certainly Crémant de Limoux or a basic Méthode Champenoise — is a tough sell. You can find comparable bottles at retail for well under $20. The markup here doesn't match the pedigree. Save your bubbles budget for a better occasion.
Crianza Tempranillo, Rioja, Spain + Chef-driven meat main (pasta or braised meat)
A Rioja Crianza has just enough oak and dried cherry character to stand up to a braised or roasted meat dish without overwhelming it. It's the kind of reliable, food-first red that bistro cooking was basically invented for — and at this price point, it's the move for anyone ordering off the heartier end of the menu.
The Bottom Line
Note. is doing something genuinely uncommon for Harrisburg: building a wine list that has a perspective. The markups need work, and the program could use more energy around specials and rotation, but if you're tired of chain-restaurant wine lists and want a Gruner Veltliner with your small plates, this is your spot.
· Harrisburg · Italian
Mangia Qui is a genuinely appealing spot — the food, the room, and the service cadence all point toward a place that takes the dining experience seriously. The Italian wine focus is the right instinct for this kitchen, and duck confit with a solid Tuscan red is exactly what this kind of room should be delivering. We just don't have enough confirmed wine list detail yet to tell you whether to come for the bottle or stick to the food. Worth a visit — ask your server what's good on the wine list and see what happens.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Harrisburg · Italian
Zia's isn't a wine destination, but it's a reliable, fairly priced list that respects the room it's in and won't leave you feeling ripped off. If you're here for a nice Italian dinner and a couple of honest glasses of wine, it delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Harrisburg · American/Gastropub
Federal Taphouse is a beer bar that happens to serve wine, and the list reflects exactly that priority order. If you're with a group split between pint-drinkers and wine-drinkers, it works — just don't expect anyone to geek out over the bottle selection with you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Harrisburg · New American
Home 231 is a solid neighborhood dinner spot where the wine list does its job without any drama — which is fine, as long as you're not expecting it to be the reason you showed up. Come for the food, order something simple off the list, and enjoy the room.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hershey · Harrisburg · Seafood/Steakhouse
Devon isn't breaking new ground, but for a chain steakhouse in Hershey, this wine list punches above its weight — especially if you gravitate toward Rieslings or Pinot Noir. We'd send a friend here knowing they won't get gouged and won't have to settle.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Harrisburg · New American/Steak
Black 'n Bleu is a perfectly fine place to eat a steak — the wine list, however, is an afterthought dressed up as a program. Skip the Woodbridge, grab the Argyle, and spend your energy on the food.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Buckhead · Atlanta · Wine Bar
Vine & Tap earns its Wild Card badge by doing something rare in Buckhead: pointing the list toward places most wine bars won't bother with, like Lebanon and Friuli, and keeping entree prices under $20 so the wine spend can actually shine. If you're in the neighborhood on a Wednesday, the half-price flight situation makes this an easy yes — show up, explore something you've never heard of, eat some octopus, and leave having learned something.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
· La Crosse · Wine Bar
The Wine Guyz earns its Wild Card badge by being something La Crosse didn't necessarily need but clearly does: a real wine bar with range, a relaxed atmosphere, and food that goes beyond bar snacks. We'd send a curious wine drinker here without hesitation — just go in ready to ask questions, since the list doesn't live online and the real program reveals itself in person.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Buckman · Portland · Wine Bar
A winery list that is easy to order from: 22 wines, all by the glass at 14 to 17, with house bottlings next to imports. Start with the five-pour ENSO Reds flight at $25, then settle on a glass of the Chateauneuf du Stark at 16 or the chilled Valpolicella at 15, and confirm what is open since the menu is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine menu, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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