Tacoma's quiet overachiever pours serious Pacific Northwest
Sixth Avenue · Tacoma · Mediterranean and Northwest-inspired, wood-fired grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Primo Grill’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Primo Grill reads like someone actually thought about it — not a corporate afterthought dropped into a binder, but a focused, regionally-minded selection that earns its place alongside a serious kitchen. There's a clear Pacific Northwest backbone here, and the Mediterranean leanings of the menu are backed up with actual European options rather than a token Pinot Grigio and a prayer. For Tacoma, this is the real deal.
The list leans hard on Washington State heavyweights — Quilceda Creek Cab, Cayuse Syrah, DeLille D2 — which signals a kitchen that respects what's growing in its own backyard. Oregon gets its due with Domaine Drouhin's Willamette Pinot Noir, a smart cross-border inclusion that bridges the PNW story without doubling down. The European contingent is thinner but curated: the Nikolaihof Riesling from Wachau is a genuine statement pick that most Tacoma wine lists wouldn't dare touch. Gaps show up in Spanish and southern Italian options, which feels like a miss given the Mediterranean menu DNA.
By-the-glass options likely clock in around 10–16 pours, covering the key bases across white, red, and presumably a rosé depending on the season. Pricing in the $10–$18 range is reasonable for the neighborhood without being a steal. We'd push staff for whatever Walla Walla red is pouring that night — it tends to be where the value hides.
DeLille Cellars D2, Columbia Valley — $60
D2 is a Bordeaux-style blend that consistently overdelivers for its price point, and seeing it here at an estimated fair markup makes it the bottle to order if you're splitting something with the table. Big red meat energy without the Quilceda Creek price tag.
Nikolaihof Riesling, Wachau, Austria
Most people ordering Mediterranean wood-fired food are reaching for something red and obvious — and they're wrong. The Nikolaihof is a serious, age-worthy Riesling from one of Austria's oldest biodynamic estates, and it has the tension and minerality to cut through anything coming off that grill. It's the sleeper on the list and almost nobody orders it.
Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley
Quilceda Creek is undeniably world-class, but at restaurant markup it becomes a painful math problem. This is trophy-shelf wine that belongs in your own cellar at retail, not on a restaurant list where you're paying a 2.5–3x premium. Save it for a special occasion at home and order the D2 instead.
Cayuse Vineyards Syrah, Walla Walla + Wood-fired grilled meats
Cayuse Syrah is all smoke, iron, and dark fruit — essentially built for food that came off a live fire. The char and fat from wood-fired beef or lamb meets the Walla Walla Syrah's savory, almost meaty profile and the two just amplify each other. It's the most honest pairing on the menu.
The Bottom Line
Primo Grill is doing more with its wine list than it gets credit for — especially in a city where 'solid restaurant wine program' often means a wall of Meiomi. It's not flashy, but the Pacific Northwest depth is real and the European picks show genuine curiosity. We'd send a friend here without hesitation.
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