Lakeside boards, decent pours, no fuss
Downtown Lakefront · Lake Geneva · American / Charcuterie & Boards · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Oak & Oar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Ten wines, ten by-the-glass options — Oak & Oar isn't trying to reinvent the wheel, and honestly that's fine. This is a lakefront charcuterie spot in Lake Geneva, not a wine bar in Chicago, and the list knows exactly what it is. Recognizable names, accessible prices, nothing that'll make you sweat over the decision.
The list pulls from California, Argentina, Italy, and Germany, which sounds broader than it actually is — you're mostly looking at reliable commercial labels like Sean Minor, Cooper & Thief, and Ethos rather than anything with a strong sense of place. There's a token Riesling from Dr. Pauly that gestures toward something more interesting, and the Terrazas Malbec keeps Argentina represented in the most crowd-pleasing way possible. Gaps are obvious: no rosé, no sparkling beyond the Gran Passione Prosecco, and zero old-world reds worth getting excited about. It's a list built for guests who want a glass of something familiar with their charcuterie board, and it delivers exactly that.
Every bottle on the list is also available by the glass, which is the whole program — no bottle-only exclusives, no reserve tier, just ten pours ranging from $11 to $15. That's a reasonable spread for a resort-adjacent lakeside spot where you're paying a little for the view and the vibe. Rotation appears nonexistent; this list looks like it hasn't changed since the menu launched.
Terrazas Malbec — $12
Terrazas is a solid Mendoza producer with real distribution muscle behind it — you'd pay this at a decent wine shop for a glass pour at a bar, but here it actually fits the food. At $12, it's the most honest pour on the list.
Dr. Pauly Riesling
Everyone at this table is ordering Cabernet or Chardonnay, and that's their loss. Dr. Pauly is a legitimate Mosel producer, and a Riesling with that kind of acid and minerality is genuinely great with charcuterie and cheese. It's the one wine here that punches above the list's weight class.
Cooper & Thief Cabernet
Cooper & Thief is a marketing exercise dressed up as a wine — the bourbon barrel aging angle sounds cool, but the result is a sweet, over-engineered California Cab that costs maybe $15 retail and brings nothing interesting to the table at $13 a glass.
Dr. Pauly Riesling + Charcuterie Board
Salt-forward cured meats and rich cheeses need acidity to cut through, and a good Mosel Riesling does that better than anything else on this list. The slight sweetness in the Riesling also plays well against anything pickled or mustard-forward on the board.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Oak & Oar is a perfectly acceptable place to drink wine if you're already there for the lakefront setting and the boards. We wouldn't cross the street specifically for the wine list, but we also wouldn't order a cocktail instead — the Dr. Pauly alone earns it a pass.
Lake Como / The Ridge Hotel · Lake Geneva · American
Crafted Americana's wine program is resort-standard in the fullest sense: recognizable, priced for convenience, and unlikely to generate any complaints or any real excitement. If you're at The Ridge for the weekend and want a solid glass of Cab with your prime rib, you'll be fine — just don't come expecting a discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Highway 50 corridor (east of downtown Lake Geneva) · Lake Geneva · Steakhouse / Seafood / Supper Club
Anthony's isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but for a Wisconsin supper club on a Friday night, the list is honest, the prices are fair, and the Washington State focus gives it just enough personality to keep things interesting. Send your parents here and order the Syrah.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Williams Bay / Highway 67 corridor · Lake Geneva · Fine Dining French
Opus is the rare fine dining wine program in the Midwest that earns the label without hedging — 346 bottles deep, French-focused, and staffed by someone who clearly knows what they're doing. The markups will sting, but for a special occasion in lake country, this is exactly where you want to be drinking.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Delavan (Greater Geneva Area) · Lake Geneva · Fine Dining / New American
1878 on the Lake is a solid resort restaurant doing exactly what resort restaurants do — safe selections, reliable producers, and a markup that subsidizes those lakefront views. We'd send a friend here for a nice night out on the water, but we'd tell them to skip the Reserve and order the Rosé.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Delavan (Greater Geneva Area) · Lake Geneva · American / Resort
If you're here for the lake views and a burger, order a cocktail and don't stress the wine list — it's not why you came. But if wine actually matters to you, the Lookout's list is the kind of set-it-and-forget-it program that makes you wish you'd packed a bottle to leave at the front desk.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lake Como · Lake Geneva · American / Supper Club
Mars Resort is a great place to drink a cold glass of something while live music plays and the lake does all the heavy lifting — but don't come here expecting a wine program that cares as much as you do. Order the Bisol, enjoy the view, and save the serious bottle for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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