The Wine List Nobody Asked For
Scottsville Road Corridor · Bowling Green · American / Casual · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 12, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Rafferty's Restaurant & Bar’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Rafferty's reads like it was assembled by someone who googled 'most recognizable wine brands' and called it a day. You've got your Kendall-Jackson, your Beringer White Zin, your Mondavi — all the usual suspects showing up to a chain restaurant party. There's nothing offensive here, but there's nothing to get excited about either.
Twelve to eighteen labels covering almost exclusively California and Washington State, this list has the regional curiosity of a Chili's and the ambition to match. Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling is the lone bright spot — a genuinely good Washington producer that earned its shelf space. Beyond that, you're navigating a greatest-hits collection of supermarket staples: Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio, Beringer White Zinfandel, Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cab. No old world representation, no independent producers, no surprises. The list exists to check a box, not to enhance your dinner.
Eight to ten pours by the glass sounds generous until you realize it's essentially the whole list sliced into four-ounce portions. Prices run $7–$12, which is honest money for what you're getting — nobody's being robbed here, just underwhelmed. Don't expect rotation; what's on the menu tonight is what was on it six months ago.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $8
The only bottle on this list from a producer with actual credibility. Ste. Michelle makes solid, food-friendly Riesling at a price point that doesn't sting — and it'll cut right through the ribs or anything with a sweet glaze.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
Most people see 'Riesling' and order the Chardonnay out of reflex. That's a mistake here — the Ste. Michelle is the only wine on this list that comes from a winery with a real story, and it's doing more work than anything else on the menu.
Beringer White Zinfandel
It's 2024. There are better ways to spend $7. If you want something light and slightly sweet, the Riesling does the same job without the shame spiral.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling + Baby Back Ribs
The Riesling's natural sweetness and acid play directly off the smoky, sticky BBQ sauce on the ribs — it's the kind of pairing that actually makes sense, even on a list that mostly doesn't.
❌ The Bottom Line
Rafferty's wine list is fine the same way a beige wall is fine — inoffensive, forgettable, and doing the bare minimum. Order the Ste. Michelle Riesling, enjoy your ribs, and save your wine ambitions for a different night.
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Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
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Acceptable
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Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
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