Burlington's Coolest Room Has the Wine to Match
Downtown · Burlington · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Paradiso Hifi’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walk into Paradiso Hifi and the first thing you notice is the sound system — this place takes its music seriously, and it turns out the wine list gets the same energy. It's not long, but it's clearly curated by someone with a point of view: natural wines, old-world producers, and a Mosel fixation that feels right at home next to a 45 rpm spinning in the background.
The list leans hard into Germany, France, and Italy, with Ulli Stein's Mosel Rieslings as the clear anchor — and honestly, a great one. Don't come here looking for a deep Napa library or a wall of Bordeaux; this is a tight 40-to-80-bottle list built around producers who actually care about what's in the glass. The natural wine thread runs throughout without tipping into the murky, funky-for-funky's-sake territory that plagues lesser lists. There are gaps — Iberian Peninsula is thin, domestic options feel like an afterthought — but what's here is chosen deliberately, and that counts for a lot in a college town that could easily get away with a grocery-store list.
Roughly 8 to 14 pours by the glass, which is a respectable spread for a room this size. The rotation appears to favor whatever aligns with the natural and European focus of the bottle list, so you're more likely to find a Mosel Riesling or a Loire red than a butter-bombed Chardonnay. We'd like to see more intentional rotation here, but what's on offer beats the usual suspects by a mile.
Domaine Leroy Bourgogne Rouge 2019 — $95
Yes, $95 for a Bourgogne Rouge sounds like a stretch — until you remember this is Leroy. At 46% over retail, it's one of the fairest markups on the list for a producer whose wines routinely get scalped. If you've been curious about what the Leroy fuss is about, this is the most accessible entry point you'll find at a restaurant.
Ulli Stein Riesling
Most diners at a New American spot in Burlington are going to reach for the red without a second thought. That's a mistake when Ulli Stein is on the list. This small Mosel producer makes Rieslings with real tension and minerality — the kind of wine that makes a table stop talking for a second. Wildly underordered, almost certainly.
Château Margaux 2018
At $750 with a 67% markup over a $450 retail bottle, this is the biggest pricing stretch on the list. We get it — marquee names carry marquee prices — but this is the one bottle that feels like it wandered in from a different restaurant's pricing philosophy. If you're dropping serious money, the Leroy or the Ridge Monte Bello will treat you better, dollar for dollar.
Ridge Monte Bello 2019 + Chef's featured protein dish
Ridge Monte Bello is a California Cabernet-dominant blend with enough structure and old-world restraint to hold up against rich, savory preparations without steamrolling everything on the plate. At $220 with a 47% markup — fair for a wine of this stature — it's the bottle we'd call for when the table is ready to commit to a serious red.
The Bottom Line
Paradiso Hifi is the kind of wine list that makes you trust the room — it's small, it has a clear identity, and the markups are honest enough that you don't feel punished for ordering well. If you're in Burlington and want to drink something that didn't come off a distributor's top-40 sheet, this is your spot.
Waterfront · Burlington · Craft Brewery with Bar Snacks
Foam is a brewery first, but the wine program punches way above its weight class — it's small, local, and priced like they actually want you to drink it. If you're on Burlington's waterfront and want something interesting in your glass that isn't a hazy IPA, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American with Vegan Options
The Daily Planet isn't a wine destination, but it has the instincts of one — a thoughtful natural wine pick, Monday half-price bottles, and fair pricing in a casual room that doesn't take itself too seriously. Send a friend here on a Monday and tell them to ask about the orange wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American Bistro
The Gryphon is a reliable neighborhood bistro with a wine list that matches its ambitions exactly: familiar, functional, and forgettable. Come for the burgers and brick walls, but don't expect the wine to be the highlight of your night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · Neapolitan wood-fired pizza and Italian cuisine
Pizzeria Verità isn't trying to be a wine destination and it doesn't need to be — it's a smart, Italy-focused list with honest markups and a few genuinely interesting bottles tucked in among the crowd-pleasers. Go for the pizza, order the Nebbiolo or the Cirò, and leave happy.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Church Street Marketplace · Burlington · Upscale American Steakhouse
EB Strong's has a wine list that does the job well and occasionally surprises you — especially if you look past the Caymus and dig into the European picks. Wednesday's half-price bottle program makes it one of the better wine-value nights in Burlington, full stop.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Burlington · Seasonal New American, farm-to-table
Hen of the Wood Burlington is the rare restaurant where the wine list is as considered as the food, and that's saying something when the kitchen is this good. If you're driving through Vermont and care about what's in your glass, this is worth a reservation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
· Round Rock · New American
Whiskey Cake Round Rock isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the all-by-the-glass format keeps things approachable, the pricing is honest, and there are a couple of genuinely good pours hiding in a short list. If wine is your priority tonight, look elsewhere; if you're here for the vibe and want something decent in your glass, Chehalem and Altocedro have you covered.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Columbia · New American
Motor Supply Co. Bistro appears to put its energy into the kitchen, and that may be the right call — but three wines is not a wine program. Until this list gets a serious rethink, order a cocktail or call ahead to ask about corkage.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · New American
THREE isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that abundantly clear. If you're here for cocktails or the bar scene, you're probably in the right place — but if wine matters to you even a little, this four-item lineup isn't going to do much for you. Order the House Champagne at $5, accept the situation for what it is, and move on.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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