Monet's Garden Has a Serious Wine Cellar
Greater Princeton Area / Hamilton · Princeton · French-Inspired Contemporary American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Rat's Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Nine hundred bottles deep in a restaurant that looks like someone transplanted a French impressionist painting to central New Jersey — yeah, you notice the wine list before you notice anything else. It lands on the table with the weight of a serious commitment. The setting does a lot of work to frame expectations, and for once, the list mostly delivers.
The list leans hard into Bordeaux and broader France, which makes complete sense given the Giverny aesthetic, but California shows up in force too — Duckhorn, Goldeneye, Frank Family, Jordan — the kind of Napa and Sonoma names that anchor a fine-dining list without taking too many risks. Italy gets a seat at the table, though it feels more like a supporting role than a full chapter. The reserve list goes deep enough to surface a 1945 Château Margaux, which is either a flex or a genuine collector's corner depending on how seriously you take this place — we take it seriously. Gaps exist in the Southern Hemisphere and anything remotely natural or adventurous, so if you're hunting Jura or Georgia, look elsewhere.
The happy hour window — Tuesday through Friday, 4 to 7 PM — cuts glass pours to half price, which is the real reason to time your visit strategically. The full by-the-glass count isn't published, but given the 900-bottle depth, the pour selections feel curated rather than exhaustive. The Decoy Brut Cuvée NV has appeared on the events side, suggesting bubbles by the glass are in the rotation.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2018 — $110
At roughly 69% over retail, Jordan is the least punishing bottle on a list that otherwise leans into steep markups. It's a crowd-pleasing, food-friendly Cab that holds its own at the table without requiring a second mortgage.
Goldeneye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2017
Most people at a French-inspired restaurant default to Burgundy or Bordeaux and sleep on the Goldeneye entirely. Anderson Valley Pinot at this age has developed enough complexity to hold up against the richer dishes here, and it tends to fly under the radar next to splashier Napa names on the list.
Masi Campofiorin Rosso del Veronese 2018
At $48 for a bottle that retails around $20, this is the steepest markup in the visible pricing data — north of 140%. Campofiorin is a perfectly fine everyday wine, but it has no business being a splurge at a destination restaurant. Pass and put that money toward something better.
Goldeneye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2017 + Escargots
Snails in butter and herbs need something with enough acidity to cut through the richness but enough red fruit to not disappear. The Goldeneye's cooler-climate profile and earthy undertones make it a genuinely interesting call here rather than the reflexive Burgundy reach.
Tuesday–Friday — Half-price wines by the glass during happy hour, Tuesday through Friday from 4 PM to 7 PM. The single best reason to plan your visit around the clock.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Rat's is a destination restaurant that takes its wine program seriously — 900 bottles, a sommelier on staff, and a reserve list with actual depth earn it that much. The markups are real and you'll feel them, but if you time it right with happy hour, this is one of the better wine experiences in the Princeton orbit.
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Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Princeton · Princeton · Italian
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Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Seasons 52 Princeton is a reliable wine stop for anyone who wants a wide-open by-the-glass menu, fair pricing, and zero surprises — in a good way and a bad way. Send a friend here if they're still figuring out what they like; send a wine nerd somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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