Slushy wines and sunshine in Arlington
· Arlington · Wine Bar / Café · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Oby Lee Winery & Café’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Oby Lee is not trying to impress anyone with Burgundy pedigree — and that's kind of the point. What you get is a tight, fun-focused menu built around sparkling cocktails, slushies, and a mulled cider that sounds like it was invented at a beach bonfire. At $8.50 to $10 a glass, the vibe is refreshingly unpretentious.
Eight options total, and calling it a 'wine list' is generous — this is really a wine-cocktail menu with a few straight pours holding down the fort. The Sparkling Rosé Côte de Provence is the most traditional thing on here, and even that's surrounded by Tropical Wine Slushies and a Summer Aperol spritz situation. The Hot Drunken Cider made from mulled Spanish Verdejo is genuinely weird and we mean that with respect. There are no red table wines, no whites beyond what's blended into cocktails, and no old-world deep cuts — but Oby Lee isn't pretending to be that place.
All eight options are available by the glass, which technically makes this an all-by-the-glass program — efficient, if nothing else. The Prosecco at $8.50 is a straightforward anchor, and the Tropical Wine Slushies cycle through four flavors (Mango Beach, Island Breeze Piña Colada, Strawberry Splash, and Peach Moscato) for $9 each. Rotation feels more seasonal than weekly, so don't expect a Tuesday surprise.
Sparkling Rosé Côte de Provence — $8.50/glass
A proper Provence rosé by the glass at $8.50 is a legitimate deal anywhere in the DMV. It's the most serious pour on the list and it's priced like a dive bar special.
Hot Drunken Cider (mulled Spanish Verdejo)
Nobody walks into a café and orders a mulled Verdejo, which is exactly why you should. It's an odd, warming concoction that actually makes sense if you lean into it — especially in the colder months when the rest of the menu feels out of season.
Tropical Wine Slushies – Island Breeze Piña Colada
If you're here for wine, even a loose definition of wine, a piña colada slushy is a detour too far. Fun for a bachelorette brunch, forgettable as a wine experience.
Prosecco + Café snack board or light bites
Without confirmed menu specifics, the Prosecco is the most versatile and food-friendly pour on the list — its bubble and acidity cut through anything salty or creamy without competing for attention.
The Bottom Line
Oby Lee is not a destination for serious wine drinkers, but it is a genuinely fun, low-pressure spot where the prices are fair and the vibe is unapologetically playful. Send your friends who think they don't like wine — they'll order a mango slushy and have a great time.
Ballston · Arlington · Neapolitan Pizza
Pupatella isn't trying to be a destination wine program, and it doesn't need to be — it's a pizza place with a focused, fairly priced, Italian-centric list that actually makes sense with the food. Send a friend here for the pizza and tell them to order the Lambrusco.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Arlington · Arlington · Wine Bar
Screwtop is doing something genuinely unusual in the DC suburbs: a deep, eclectic by-the-glass list priced fairly and organized with actual personality. If you want to drink something you've never tried before in a low-pressure setting, this is exactly the place to send a friend.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Arlington · Champagne Bar / Dessert
Beauty is a focused, unpretentious bubbles destination that punches above its novelty premise — the list is curated with real intent, the by-the-glass program is generous, and the prices don't punish you for showing up. If you've never thought to make a champagne bar your wine destination, this is a good place to rethink that.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Shirlington · Arlington · Cheese bar / Wine bar
Cheesetique shouldn't have a wine list this good, and that's exactly why it's worth your time. Come for the cheese, stay because the Lambrusco and the White Bordeaux gave you no reason to leave.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Shirlington · Arlington · American Brasserie
Carlyle won't change your relationship with wine, but it won't ruin it either — and on Tuesday, when everything on the bottle list is half off, it briefly becomes one of the better deals in Shirlington. Come for the prime rib, order the Jordan, and call it a good night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Westover · Arlington · Turkish and Mediterranean
Maya Bistro isn't a wine destination, but Monday half-price bottles and legitimately interesting Turkish pours make it a Wild Card worth knowing about. Come for the pide, stay for the Angora — just don't touch the Oyster Bay.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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