Bordeaux Obsession on Hope Street
Wayland Square · Providence · Modern American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 14, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Persimmon’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list at Persimmon telegraphs its allegiances immediately — this is a Bordeaux house, full stop. With a sommelier on staff and a dedicated Bordeaux dinner series, the wine program has a clear point of view, which is refreshing even if it leaves drinkers who want Burgundy or the Rhône out in the cold.
The 100-150 bottle list leans heavily on France, with Bordeaux as the undisputed anchor — classified growths from both the left and right banks sit alongside white Bordeaux that most restaurants wouldn't bother with. The Entre-Deux-Mers selection signals someone actually thinking about the sauvignon blanc-sémillon blends that punch above their price point. Crémant rounds out the sparkling options as a smarter-than-Champagne-markup choice. The tradeoff is real range: if you're hunting for Italian, Iberian, or New World depth, this list isn't coming to your rescue.
Twelve to eighteen pours is a healthy by-the-glass program, and given the Bordeaux focus, expect the glass list to rotate through some genuinely interesting white Bordeaux and structured reds that most restaurants never bother to pour by the glass. It's a legitimately educational lineup if you let the staff guide you.
Entre-Deux-Mers — null
White Bordeaux from this appellation is chronically underpriced relative to its quality — sauvignon blanc and sémillon in a dry, mineral style that holds its own against anything twice the price. It's the smart order here, especially alongside the local seafood.
Crémant
Everyone reflexively reaches for Champagne at a special occasion dinner, but Persimmon's Crémant is the move — same traditional method, real bubbles, a fraction of the ego tax. Most tables walk right past it.
Classified Growth Bordeaux
The classified growth reds are impressive to look at on the list, but restaurant markup on name-brand Bordeaux is almost never kind to your wallet. Unless someone else is paying, the same terroir story can be told at a third of the price a few lines up the page.
Entre-Deux-Mers + Local seafood preparation
The bright acidity and citrus edge of a well-made Entre-Deux-Mers cuts through butter-finished seafood like a knife — it's the classic reason white Bordeaux exists, and Persimmon's local seafood focus makes this pairing almost unfairly obvious.
The Bottom Line
Persimmon is a genuinely serious wine restaurant hiding in a neighborhood bistro skin — if Bordeaux is your world, this is the best room in Providence for it. If you need range, temper your expectations and let the sommelier steer.
· Providence · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão Providence is a steakhouse first, and the wine list reflects exactly that priority — it's serviceable, accessible, and won't embarrass anyone, but it's also not trying very hard. If you're here for the churrasco experience, grab the Jorjão Malbec or the Garzón Albariño and let the meat do the heavy lifting. Don't come expecting discovery; do come knowing exactly what you're getting.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Federal Hill · Providence · Mediterranean with American flair, rotisserie-focused bistro
A glass-led list with a fair spread: 18 pours from $10 to $21, most reds at $14 or under, and a half-bottle section for when two people want different things. Start with the $15 Stoller Pinot Noir if you are ordering the short ribs, or the $13 Riesling with the choucroute, and confirm prices since the menu is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
Fox Point · Providence · American Brasserie
A compact list with three pour sizes: 17 wines come as 6 oz, 9 oz or bottle, and bottles run from $30 to $125. Start with the $10 Chateau Roc de Segur Bordeaux or the $11 Marqués De Valor Albariño, and confirm prices because the list is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Federal Hill · Providence · Italian
A big Italian-leaning list: 41 Italian reds, 25 Cabernets and 22 wines by the glass. For a glass, the $14 Bonanza Cabernet by Caymus or the $11 Dante Di Fiorenza Super Tuscan are the easy picks; for a bottle, the $44 Carpineto Chianti Classico with the Mafaldine Bolognese is a safe, honest match. The menu says vintages can change with availability, so confirm before ordering. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Federal Hill · Providence · Italian
A large Italian-American list with enough by-the-glass range to cover a big table. Start with the Fratelli Cozza Montepulciano d'Abruzzo at $10 a glass, or the Silvan Ridge Willamette Pinot at $13 if you want something lighter, and come on a Monday if you want to buy bottles at half price. The wine pages are undated, so confirm prices when you order. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
College Hill · Providence · American, French
A Cabernet-heavy list from autumn 2025, with glass pours from 10 and bottles up to a 450 Opus One. Start with the 10 Château du Petit Thouars Cabernet Franc, or the 16 Fontanafredda Nebbiolo if you want something from Piedmont, and check that the list is still current since it is marked September 2025. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Midtown · Atlanta · Modern American
Epicurean Atlanta is a perfectly respectable place to drink wine over dinner, especially if you're already there for the food — the Bang Bang Shrimp and Pulpo Asado alone make a case for showing up. But without more transparency on what's actually in the list and at what prices, we'd encourage you to ask your server direct questions before committing to a bottle. Hotel markups are real, and a little pushback goes a long way.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Modern American
A wine list that opens with Champagne sorted by sub-region, gives Burgundy separate white and red sections, and has four wines at $65. Start with the $65 Vollenweider Felsenfest Riesling or the $80 Domaine Migot Gamay, and check current prices because the PDF is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Camperdown · Greenville · Modern American
Start with the Selbach 'Incline' Riesling at $13/glass, then ask about the Château Belá Slovakian Riesling at 55 if you want something unusual. Confirm vintages, since the list is linked as 6-11-26. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or retail markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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