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 →
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.
Crystal City · Arlington · Wine Shop / Tasting Bar
Crystal City Wine Shop is the kind of low-key, staff-driven wine spot that most neighborhoods desperately want and rarely get — especially one with the nerve to stock Ukrainian bottles in the shadow of the Pentagon. We'd send a curious friend here without hesitation; just don't come in expecting a full restaurant experience.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Clarendon · Arlington · New American
CIRCA Clarendon isn't trying to be a wine destination and doesn't pretend otherwise — but the all-BTG format, fair prices, and a few genuinely interesting whites make it a solid call when you want wine that works without overthinking it. Send a friend here, just steer them away from the Unshackled.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Arlington · Wine Bar / Bottle Shop
Flight Wine Shop is doing something genuinely rare in the DC suburbs: a tightly curated, fairly priced bottle shop that treats obscure regions and natural producers as the main event, not a novelty section. If you're tired of the same ten wines and want a shop that will actually teach you something, this is your spot.
Deep & Eclectic
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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
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