Pier 290

You're sitting on the edge of Geneva Lake, fire pits going, live music drifting in from the Palm Beach area — and the wine list matches the vibe exactly: familiar, crowd-pleasing California names that nobody will argue with. It's a list built for a good time, not a deep-dive session. That's not a criticism, just an honest read of the room.

The 80-120 bottle list is a California greatest-hits compilation — Caymus, Jordan, Stag's Leap, Duckhorn, Sonoma-Cutrer — and it earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for doing that well. There's no Old World to speak of, no natural wine detour, no surprises from under-the-radar producers. What you get is a tight, dependable roster of names that lakeside diners already trust and love. If you came hoping for a Barolo or a left-field Jura white, you're at the wrong dock.

With 12-18 pours by the glass ranging $10-$18, there's enough range to work through a long summer evening without committing to a bottle. Expect the usual suspects — Meiomi Pinot Noir and Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay almost certainly anchor the list. Rotation appears minimal, so don't expect anything seasonal or adventurous to show up mid-summer.