Sonoma Pedigree Meets Banh Mi Chaos
Sonoma Plaza · Sonoma · Contemporary American and Global Small Plates · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 26, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed OSO Sonoma’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You're on the Sonoma Plaza, Korean fried chicken is flying past you, and the wine list has Emeritus and A. Rafanelli on it — we did not see that coming. Twenty-six labels is a tight edit, but the names they picked are doing real work. This is a small-plates spot that actually thought about its wine program.
OSO leans hard into California and doesn't apologize for it — which, given you're sitting in Sonoma County, is the right call. The lineup hits the heavy hitters: Flowers and Patz & Hall for Chardonnay fans, Emeritus Hallberg Ranch for Pinot obsessives, and A. Rafanelli Zinfandel for anyone who knows what Dry Creek actually tastes like. The wild card is the Gremlin Vines Flakey Z Old Vine Zinfandel from Sonoma Valley — a producer most tourists walking the Plaza will walk right past on the list. They're light on non-California representation and there's nothing for natural wine drinkers, but within their lane they've assembled a genuinely respectable 26-bottle snapshot of the region.
Seventeen by-the-glass options on a 26-bottle list is a generous ratio — most of what's on the menu is pourable without committing to a full bottle. Prices run $12–$18 a glass, which is reasonable for Sonoma Plaza real estate. We'd love to see more rotation or a chalkboard special, but the depth of the glass program is the strongest argument for stopping in solo at the bar.
Vaughn Duffy Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley 2024 — $18/glass
Vaughn Duffy punches well above its profile recognition — Russian River Sauvignon Blanc from a small-production producer that most people don't know yet. At $18 a glass in Sonoma, you're getting something worth finding before everyone else does.
Gremlin Vines Flakey Z Old Vine Zinfandel Sonoma Valley 2020
Nobody at the table is ordering this, and that's exactly why you should. Old vine Zinfandel from Sonoma Valley doesn't need to shout — it just needs to exist while everyone else grabs the Pinot Noir. This is the bottle that makes the list interesting.
A. Rafanelli Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2023
We love Rafanelli. We do not love it at $105 a bottle when retail runs closer to $35–$40. That's a markup that makes the math hard to justify, even in wine country. The wine earns respect; the price does not.
Idle Cellars Grenache Kick Ranch 2019 + Korean Fried Chicken
Kick Ranch Grenache has enough brightness and red fruit to cut through the fat and heat of Korean fried chicken without the tannins turning the whole thing into a fight. It's the kind of pairing that happens when a thoughtful list meets bold food.
The Bottom Line
OSO is a Wild Card in the best sense — a buzzy small-plates spot on the Plaza that actually bothered to curate a California wine list worth reading. Markups on the bottles are real, so lean on the glass pours, order something you've never heard of, and eat the chicken.
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Sante is doing more with its wine list than the average hotel restaurant bothers to — 120 labels anchored in Northern California producers, 25 by-the-glass options with real range, and picks like Failla Sonoma Coast Pinot and Denner Nightshade that signal genuine curation. The steep markup at the top end is real, and the lack of any structured specials program means you're paying full freight every time — but if you order thoughtfully, there's genuinely good wine to be found here.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Proper
· Sonoma · French bistro
Bistro Ralph is exactly what a wine-country neighborhood bistro should be: unpretentious, locally rooted, and honest about what it is. We can't call out specific bottles from what's available, but the Sonoma-forward identity and relaxed room make this a solid stop for a glass or two alongside the chicken paillard or pot de crème. Come for the setting, stay for the wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · California and Mediterranean
Sunflower Caffe isn't trying to compete with the big resort wine lists down the road, and that's exactly why it works. The list is small, local, fairly priced, and built around bubbles — which, in Sonoma, is actually a smart and honest choice. If you want a deep cellar or a Burgundy rabbit hole, go elsewhere; if you want a glass of Scribe Nouveau Pinot Noir on what is presumably a lovely patio, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · California and New American
Sonoma Valley Farmhouse runs a tight, thoughtful list that punches above its size. The all-by-the-glass format and fair pricing make it easy to drink well without a game plan, and the producer selection — Bedrock, Lasseter, Talisman, Albini — reflects someone who actually cares about what ends up in your glass. If you're in Sonoma and want to drink local without getting gouged, this is a genuinely solid stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · Food Truck / New American
The Fig Rig is the kind of place that should not have a wine list this good, and that's exactly what makes it worth seeking out. Fair prices, genuine range, and a clear Rhône-forward point of view — if you're in Sonoma and skeptical of the usual tourist-trap markups, this is where we'd send you first.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · French and California
Cafe La Haye has assembled a 63-bottle list that punches well above its count — thoughtful French-California crossover, honest pricing on most of the list, and enough unusual picks (Gaudron Chenin Blanc, Pangloss White Rhone, grower Champagne from Pierre Paillard) to suggest real curation rather than default distributor choices. If you're in Sonoma and want a wine list that respects both the region and your intelligence, this is a reliable stop — with enough Wild Card energy to keep it interesting.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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