Michigan Wines Crash Southwest Florida's Party
Estero · Fort Myers · Winery and Cidery · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed R.A.D. Winery & Cidery’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into R.A.D. in the middle of a Florida outlet mall, you don't expect to find a legit winery tasting room — and that surprise is the whole point. The list is entirely their own production, sourced from Michigan grapes, which is either a dealbreaker or a reason to get curious. We'd recommend curious.
The lineup leans into approachable, fruit-forward styles: a Pinot Gris, a Chardonnay, a Cab Franc, and a Bordeaux blend called Equation anchor the dry side of things. The Bourbon Barrel Merlot is the attention-grabber — aging Merlot in bourbon barrels is a statement move that works for some people and reads as gimmicky to others. There's also a dessert tier with the Chocolate Cherry Port and the Cheers sparkling white that clearly targets the sweet-tooth crowd. Gaps are real: no Rhône varieties, no rosé beyond the Bubbly Merlot Rosé, and the Riesling-forward Elevation blend is the closest thing to an Old World nod. It's a tight, self-contained world.
Since R.A.D. operates as a tasting room winery, the by-the-glass experience is built around flights and individual pours from their own portfolio. Specific glass counts and pricing weren't available from our research, but the full lineup of roughly a dozen wines appears to be pourable on request. That makes the by-the-glass program more flexible than most restaurants — you're essentially tasting your way through the cellar.
Equation (Bordeaux Blend) — null
A house-made Bordeaux blend from a Florida tasting room sounds like a gamble, but this is the kind of wine that tells you the most about what R.A.D. can actually do. If the structure holds up, it's the most serious bottle on the list and likely priced accordingly for a winery-direct pour.
Elevation (Riesling Blend)
Most people walking into R.A.D. are grabbing the bourbon barrel Merlot or the dessert port. Elevation, their Riesling-forward blend, gets skipped because Riesling doesn't have a great reputation in casual tasting rooms — but Michigan Riesling is legitimately good, and a blend gives it more dimension. This is the sleeper on the menu.
Chocolate Cherry Dessert
The Chocolate Cherry Port-style wine is crowd bait — it's going to taste like a dessert topping, not a wine. If that's your thing, go for it, but if you're here to actually assess what R.A.D. can do with a grape, this tells you nothing useful and takes up stomach real estate.
Bourbon Barrel Merlot + Charcuterie Board
The bourbon barrel treatment loads the Merlot with vanilla and char notes that want something salty and fatty alongside them. A well-built charcuterie spread — cured meats, hard cheese, something briny — gives the wine a reason to settle down and show some fruit underneath all that oak. It's the most natural match on the menu.
The Bottom Line
R.A.D. is a genuine Wild Card: a Michigan winery operating out of a Florida outlet mall, making real wine and welcoming people who've never thought much about Michigan viticulture. It's not a destination wine list, but it's an honest one — and that counts for something in a market full of lazy, overpriced pours.
Fort Myers · Fort Myers · Steakhouse
A one-page list of 42 wines where 24 are priced by the 6 oz and 9 oz pour, from $11 to $28, and the rest are bottles up to $499. Start with the $12 Cigar Box Malbec by the 6 oz glass, or step up to the $75 Les Cadrans de Lassègue if you want the one Bordeaux on the list. The PDF is undated, so confirm what's pouring. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Fort Myers · Fort Myers · Mediterranean-inspired small plates and wine bar
A compact, Italian-leaning list with glasses from $10 to $15 and a happy hour board that includes any glass. Order the $10 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo with the $20 board, or the $15 Valle Segreta Super Tuscan with the short rib ravioli, and confirm prices on the day. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
McGregor Boulevard · Fort Myers · New American
A wine list that tells you what is in the glass but not what it costs. For a steak, start with the Chappellet Signature Cabernet or the Gigondas, and ask the server for prices and by-the-glass availability since the list posts none. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Fort Myers · Fort Myers · Italian
A long, Italian-and-Napa-heavy list with 18 glass pours from $10 to $29 and a bottle range from $40 to $2,250. Start with the $12 Castello di Albola Chianti Classico, or order the Laurent Perrier half bottle at $85 if you want Champagne without a full bottle, and confirm current prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Bell Tower Shops / South Fort Myers · Fort Myers · Mexican
A compact 13-wine list for a Mexican restaurant, with half-off wine by the glass at the bar on posted days. Start with the Marqués de Cáceres Rosé at 8 | 28, or the Catena Malbec at 10 | 37 if you want a red, and ask which number is the glass. Wine prices are posted without units and the menu is undated, so confirm what the Fort Myers bar is pouring. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown Fort Myers River District · Fort Myers · Gastropub
A short wine list at a craft beer and cocktail bar: nine wines, two price tiers, no regions or vintages. Order the Meiomi Pinot Noir with the You Gouda Try This! mac and cheese, or stay on the house wines at $8 and $30; the page is undated, so confirm current wines and ask which price is the glass before you order. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks menu, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp