Restaurant 1879
Island Fine Dining With a Serious Cellar
Block Island · Block Island · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You're on a small Rhode Island island, and the wine list lands on your table like it belongs in a Manhattan steakhouse. Over 200 bottles deep, anchored by California heavyweights and serious French names — this is not the laminated one-pager you were half-expecting. The Best of Award of Excellence going back to 2009 is not a fluke.
Selection Deep Dive
California and France carry this list on their shoulders, and they do it well. On the California side you've got the full prestige lineup — Caymus, Jordan, Stag's Leap, Duckhorn, Far Niente, and yes, Opus One if you're feeling bold. France holds its own with Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin, and the quietly excellent Domaine Leflaive anchoring the Burgundy section. The list skews classic and crowd-tested rather than adventurous, but when the classics are this well-sourced, that's not a complaint — it's a commitment.
By the Glass
Twelve to twenty options by the glass with prices running $12–$18 keeps things accessible for the sunset-on-the-porch crowd. The range appears to mirror the bottle list's California-France focus, which means your glass pour should be solid even if it won't surprise you. No evidence of regular rotation or a standout BTG program, but what's there is respectable.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $45–$65
Jordan consistently over-delivers for its price bracket — structured, food-friendly, and a natural match for the kitchen's prime beef. It's the bottle that drinks well above its weight on a list where prices climb fast.
Domaine Leflaive
Most tables are reaching for Caymus or Opus One, but Domaine Leflaive is one of Burgundy's most respected white wine names. It's quiet on a list like this, easy to overlook — which means you can snag it while your neighbor orders the obvious Napa Cab.
Opus One
A legend, sure, but Opus One is almost always marked up aggressively at resort-adjacent restaurants and you're paying a premium just for the name recognition. Save that money for multiple bottles of something equally good and far less theatrical.
Far Niente Chardonnay + Block Island Swordfish
Far Niente's Chardonnay brings enough richness and texture to stand up to a meaty local swordfish without bulldozing it. The wine's restrained oak and bright acidity keep the fish's ocean-fresh character front and center.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Restaurant 1879 earns its Wine Spectator hardware — a 200-plus bottle list with real depth in California and France is genuinely impressive for a remote island destination. Pricing runs on the steeper side, but you're on Block Island eating swordfish with a view, so calibrate expectations accordingly.
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