Solid pours for State Street sushi nights
Downtown / Capitol Square · Madison · Sushi / Japanese · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 10, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Red Sushi is compact and clearly not the star of the show — sake and Japanese beer hold that crown. But flip past the cocktails and you'll find a short, reasonably priced selection that doesn't embarrass itself, plus a few genuinely interesting fortified and dessert options that most people at this kind of spot completely ignore.
The list leans California and New Zealand for the table wine side of things, which is a sensible call for a downtown crowd that wants something familiar with their spicy tuna rolls. What's more interesting is the dessert and fortified wing: Rare Wine Co. Malmsey Madeira, Warre's Ruby and Tawny Port, and a Château Laribotte Sauternes give this list more personality than a 107 State St. address might suggest. The Kinsen Plum Wine rounds out the Japanese theme nicely. Don't expect deep regional exploration or small-producer discoveries — this is a supporting cast, not a headliner.
The by-the-glass program runs around 6-12 options with prices landing between $7 and $13, which is refreshingly honest for a downtown Madison spot used to a captive university crowd. The fortified and dessert pours are the sleeper hit here — the Madeira and Sauternes by the glass are priced at $14-15, which is reasonable given what you're getting. Rotation appears minimal; this list is set and left alone.
Rare Wine Co. Malmsey Madeira NV — $15/glass
A $65 retail bottle poured by the glass at $15 is legitimately one of the better per-ounce deals on this list. Malmsey is the richest, most approachable style of Madeira — honeyed, nutty, with enough acidity to stay lively. Most people walk right past it. Don't.
Château Laribotte Sauternes 2022
A Sauternes on a sushi list is an odd duck, but it earns its spot. At $14 a glass, it's an approachable entry into one of Bordeaux's most underrated sweet wine appellations, and it holds up surprisingly well alongside anything with a spicy or umami-forward profile on the menu.
Kinsen Plum Wine NV
At $10 a glass on a $13 retail bottle, the markup math here isn't the worst, but plum wine at a sushi restaurant is the path of least resistance — it's on every list, it rarely surprises, and you can do better elsewhere on this menu for the same money.
Rare Wine Co. Malmsey Madeira NV + specialty sushi rolls
Sounds counterintuitive until you taste it. Malmsey's oxidative richness and bright acidity cut through the richness of creamy, spicy rolls and play off soy and sesame in a way that a standard Chardonnay just doesn't. It's the conversation starter your table didn't know it needed.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Red Sushi isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but the fortified and dessert options give it more credibility than most comparable spots downtown. Come for the sushi, stay for the Madeira.
South West Side / Arbor Gate · Madison · Contemporary American
Bonfyre is a reliable neighborhood grill that happens to have Wine Down Wednesday, and that promotion does more for this wine program than anything on the list itself. Come on a Wednesday, order the Riesling or the Malbec with your steak, and you'll leave happy — just don't expect the list to dazzle you on a Tuesday.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Far West Side / Greenway Station · Madison · Casual Italian
Biaggi's is a chain, the markups are steep, and nobody on staff is going to geek out over Nebbiolo with you — but the Wine Wednesday promotion (50% off bottles $75 and under) genuinely changes the math. Come on a Wednesday, order a bottle of Santa Margherita or a Chianti Classico at half price, and you'll have a perfectly solid dinner without any regrets.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Madison · Seafood and Steak
Tempest is a reliable downtown option for wine with your oysters — the list has genuine highlights and the glass count is respectable, but the markups are steep and the program isn't pushing itself. Go for the Sancerre, go for the Riesling, and don't overthink it.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Side / Junction Road · Madison · Wine Bar & Bistro
Eno Vino West is the dependable neighborhood wine bar Madison's west side needs — not flashy, not adventurous, but genuinely well-stocked and fairly priced. Show up on a Monday or Tuesday, grab a half-price bottle, and stop overthinking it.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Near West Side / Monroe Street · Madison · Californian-style, veggie-forward American
Everly's list is more thoughtful than most neighborhood spots its size, with a few genuinely exciting bottles mixed in with the safe pours. We'd send a friend here for wine, but we'd tell them to go in with eyes open on the markup — you're paying a premium for the atmosphere as much as what's in the glass.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Capitol Square · Madison · Upscale New American / Farm-to-table
L'Etoile is the best wine list in Madison and it's not particularly close — a focused, well-stored cellar with staff who can actually navigate it. The markup stings on the flagship bottles, but the overall program earns the price of admission.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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