Colonial Walls, Champagne Pops, Maryland Soul
Church Circle · Annapolis · Tavern / Afternoon Tea · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Reynolds Tavern (Tea & Wine)’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
Walking into a tavern built in 1747 and being handed a wine list that includes both Veuve Clicquot and a Maryland Albariño is not what we expected, and honestly, that's the whole point. Reynolds Tavern doesn't try to be a wine bar — it tries to be itself, and the list reflects that same stubborn charm. It's short, it's a little scattered, and we are genuinely here for it.
Twenty-odd bottles covering Champagne, Provence, the Rhône Valley, and two Maryland producers is a lot of personality for a list this size. The Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge is a genuine coup — that's a serious Rhône producer sitting next to scones and clotted cream, which is either deeply wrong or deeply right. The Maryland contingent is a real differentiator: Sugarloaf Vineyards' Penelope White Blend and Windridge Winery's Albariño give this list local credibility that most Annapolis spots don't bother with. Gaps exist — there's no real depth in Italy, Spain, or domestic Cali beyond a single old-vine Zin — but for what this place is, the curation punches above its weight.
Eight to twelve pours by the glass at $10–$18 is a solid setup for an afternoon tea crowd that wants something celebratory without committing to a bottle. The Cava Codorníu Brut Rosé and Forever Young Provence Rosé are the easy crowd-pleasers here, and both clock in at the lower end of that range. We'd like to see more rotation — the list feels like it hasn't changed much in a while — but the glass program works for the occasion.
Forever Young Rosé (Côtes de Provence) Organic and Biodynamic — $12
An organic, biodynamic Provence rosé at afternoon-tea prices is the kind of accidental value that makes us happy. It fits the room, fits the scones, and won't make your wallet cry.
Windridge Winery Albariño (Maryland)
Most people will reach for the Champagne and miss this entirely. A Maryland-grown Albariño is a legitimately interesting thing — crisp, mineral, and a direct conversation starter about what's happening in the Mid-Atlantic wine scene right now.
Mumm Napa Brut Prestige
When Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé and Veuve Clicquot are sitting right there on the same list, paying for a California sparkling wine that's trying to act French feels like a waste of a perfectly good occasion.
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge + Shepherd's Pie
A brooding, grenache-forward Rhône red needs something hearty enough to stand up to it — and a proper shepherd's pie does exactly that. The savory lamb and root vegetable richness meets the wine's dark fruit and earthy depth without either one blinking.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Reynolds Tavern is the kind of Wild Card that earns its badge by being completely sincere — a 275-year-old tavern that stocks Vieux Télégraphe and Maryland Albariño without making a big deal about it. If you're in Annapolis and skipping wine here in favor of a generic hotel bar down the street, that's on you.
Eastport · Annapolis · American pub fare
Davis' Pub is a great place to drink — just not wine. The list is inoffensive and priced fairly, but it exists as an afterthought in a place where the real action is cold drafts and steamed crabs. Order the Brancott if you must, then pivot to beer.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Spa Creek · Annapolis · Seafood / Steak
Chart House Annapolis is a reliable wine list in a genuinely great setting — you'll drink well enough, but you're paying for the view as much as the pour. Go in with eyes open on the markup and lean on the California stalwarts that earned their spots here.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Towne Centre Area · Annapolis · Wine Bar / Mediterranean
Smashing Grapes is quietly one of the better wine programs in the mid-Atlantic, operating in a market that doesn't always demand it — which makes it even more impressive. Send a friend here, absolutely, and tell them to skip the safe picks.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Upper Main Street · Annapolis · Wine Bar / Bistro
Red Red Wine Bar is a genuinely fun, accessible spot if you go in knowing what it is: a bubbly-forward wine bar built for socializing and sharing flights, not deep-dive cellar exploration. Send your friend here for a casual night out — just don't send them expecting a sprawling wine list.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Eastport · Annapolis · Seafood / Raw Bar
Blackwall Hitch isn't a wine destination, but it's a reliable spot to drink something decent without getting gouged — especially during happy hour. Send a friend here if they want a glass on the water, not if they're chasing something to talk about.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Eastport · Annapolis · American Cafe
Eastport Kitchen isn't a wine destination, but it's also not pretending to be one — and for a casual neighborhood café in Annapolis, the wine program punches well above its weight class. The markups are mostly reasonable, the by-the-glass selection is genuinely broad, and if you know what to order, you can drink pretty well with your burger.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.