California Sunshine in a Maryland Shore Town
Downtown Easton · Easton · Contemporary American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 25, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Out of the Fire’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Out of the Fire, the wine list reads like a confident California road trip — Paso Robles, Napa, Alexander Valley — which feels a little ambitious for a casual cafe on the Eastern Shore, but also kind of charming. The price range is accessible without being an afterthought, and the vibe of the room (eco-conscious, relaxed, stylish) matches a list that doesn't try too hard. It's not here to impress you with obscure growers; it's here to make sure you enjoy your pizza.
The list leans heavily California Cabernet, which makes sense for a crowd that skews toward the familiar — but it does mean you're not getting much in the way of regional diversity. Mount Veeder Cab from Napa anchors the top end with some genuine pedigree, while Brady's Cabernet Franc from Paso Robles is the one unexpected turn that hints at a list curator with a pulse. Whites, rosés, and international options remain largely a mystery from available data, which is a gap worth noting. The Edible Delmarva profile suggests the list is varietal-organized and producer-conscious, which at least signals some intentionality behind the selections.
Glass pours run $8–$15, which is genuinely reasonable for a sit-down restaurant with this caliber of food. We don't have the full BTG lineup confirmed, but the alcohol-to-go pricing suggests the in-house pours follow the same California-forward approach. At $8 entry, you're not going to cry over ordering a second glass to figure out what you want.
Daou 'Purity & Grace' Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 Paso Robles — $52
Daou consistently punches above its price class in Paso Robles, and 'Purity & Grace' is their approachable, polished tier — structured enough to feel serious, but not so tannic that it fights a wood-fired pizza. At this price point on a restaurant list, it's not a steal, but it's fair for what you're getting.
Brady Cabernet Franc Paso Robles
Everyone else at the table is ordering Cab Sauv, and that's fine — but Brady's Cabernet Franc is the pick for anyone who wants something with a little more lift and herb character. Cab Franc from Paso Robles is still flying under the radar nationally, and this is exactly the kind of bottle that rewards the curious diner.
Robert Mondavi Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Bourbon barrel aging on a Cabernet is a marketing decision, not a winemaking one. The oak-on-oak treatment tends to flatten complexity and push the wine into novelty territory. There are better bottles on this list that don't need a gimmick to justify their price.
Brady Cabernet Franc Paso Robles + Vegan Hearth-Fired Pizza with Fire-Roasted Tomato, Smoked Onion, Roasted Mushrooms, and Olives
Cabernet Franc's herbal edge and softer tannins are a natural match for earthy roasted mushrooms and briny olives — the same combination that makes Loire Valley Cab Franc and pizza such a classic move. Brady's Paso version brings enough fruit weight to hold up to the fire-roasted tomato without overwhelming the vegetables.
The Bottom Line
Out of the Fire is a dependable wine stop in a town that doesn't have many — the California-focused list is a little one-note, but the pricing is honest and there are a few genuinely interesting bottles hiding in the lineup. Send a friend here for dinner, point them to the Cab Franc, and tell them to skip the bourbon barrel novelty act.
Downtown Easton · Easton · Roman-style pizza
Roma Alla Pala is absolutely worth visiting for the pizza — but the wine list is an afterthought with steep markups on recognizable grocery-store bottles. Order the Prosecco, focus on the food, and save the serious wine drinking for another night.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Royal Oak · Easton · Upscale New American with Global Influences
T at the General Store is a destination for the food first, and the wine list knows that — it's curated just enough to be useful without trying to steal the spotlight. Come on a Wednesday, order the LAN Crianza, and let the chef do the rest.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Easton · Easton · Fusion (global/Asian-influenced American)
Tiger Lily won't win any awards for its wine program, but it earns its keep — fair prices, a thoughtful short list, and a few genuinely good picks buried in there for anyone willing to look past the Chardonnay. If you're eating here, drink the Eroica.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Easton · Easton · Authentic Northern Italian
Scossa is a legitimately good restaurant that happens to have a wine list more interested in Napa status symbols than in what's on the plate — but with the Brunello and Barbaresco hiding in there, and a strong by-the-glass count, there's enough to work with if you look past the obvious picks. Send your friends, but brief them first.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Easton · Easton · Regional
The Stewart is a genuine surprise on the Eastern Shore — a cocktail lounge with a brass-and-marble soul that quietly runs a Wine Spectator-recognized program with a real sommelier steering it. Hit it on a Wednesday and you've found one of the best wine deals in Maryland.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Easton · Easton · Australian, German
Kabinett is a genuine wild card — a glam little wine bar in a mid-size Pennsylvania city doing serious Austrian and German wine work that would hold its own in any major market. Send your friends, especially the ones who think they don't like Riesling.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Toledo · Contemporary American
Sabira has built something genuinely worth noticing for Toledo: a compact, mostly European list that takes real swings with appellations like Grasparossa di Castelvetro and Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Pricing data isn't available to us, and the BTG program is unclear — so call ahead or ask on arrival. If the staff knows this list as well as whoever curated it seems to, this is an easy recommendation for anyone tired of the same regional Chardonnay-and-Cab circuit.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Sarasota · Sarasota · Contemporary American
A one-page list that mixes Greek, Italian and French bottles with Cristal, Taittinger and Laurent-Perrier Champagnes, and posts many prices as two unlabeled numbers. Start with the Gai'a Assyrtiko (70 / 17) alongside the wood-fired octopus, or take the Les Girelles Picpoul (48 / 12) on a Tuesday, when the list says bottles at $99 and less are half off (bubbles and Champagne excluded). This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups, and the list carries no printed date, so confirm current availability and ask which number is the glass.
Unknown · Salt Lake City · Contemporary American
A bottle-only list that runs from $57 to $1,988, with no by-the-glass section posted. Start with the 2020 CVNE Crianza at $57/bottle or the 2013 López de Heredia at $145/bottle, and confirm today's list because it carries no print date. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, 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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