Six Bottles Deep and Already Out of Ideas
· Winston Salem · Lodge-style American / Seafood & Grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 19, 2026
RagingWine reviewed River Birch Lodge’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Six wines. That's the whole list. For a lodge-style restaurant that presumably wants you to linger over a meal, this wine program reads less like a curated selection and more like someone grabbed whatever was available at the last minute. The range skips entirely past anything resembling a dinner wine and lands squarely in brunch-and-dessert territory.
The list splits neatly into two categories: sparkling wines for mimosa service and fortified/dessert pours. There's no red, no still white, no rosé — nothing you'd actually reach for mid-meal with a plate of food in front of you. Avissi Prosecco and Montparnasse Brut are your bubbles, La Torretta Moscato rounds out the sweet side, and then it's straight to the port and Madeira shelf. It's not that these are bad wines — Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Tawny is genuinely solid, and Sandeman Madeira is a legitimate choice — it's that the list actively refuses to support dinner service.
Three glass pours: Sandeman Madeira at $9, Dow's Fine Ruby Port at $10, and Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Tawny at $12. The pricing is honest and the Tawny is actually a quality product, but if you're hoping for a glass of wine with your entrée, you're out of luck — this BTG program is dessert-only by design.
Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Tawny Port — $12/glass
A 20-year Tawny at $12 a glass is the one genuinely good deal on this list. Taylor Fladgate is a serious producer, and this expression brings dried fruit, toasted nut, and real complexity. It's dessert in a glass at a fair price.
Sandeman Madeira
Nobody orders Madeira at a lodge restaurant in Winston-Salem, which is exactly why you should. It's one of the most food-versatile fortified wines out there — great with salty, rich, or savory dishes — and most tables walk right past it.
La Torretta Moscato
At $44 a bottle, you're paying a significant premium for a light, sweet Moscato that tops out at seven or eight bucks retail. Order the Tawny by the glass and spend the difference on dessert.
Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Tawny Port + any dessert on the menu
With its caramel, fig, and walnut notes, the Tawny is the one pour on this list that was actually built for the table. Sip it slowly alongside whatever the kitchen is putting out for dessert.
The Bottom Line
River Birch Lodge's wine list isn't a wine list — it's a mimosa station with a port chaser. Order a cocktail with dinner and save the Tawny for the end.
· Winston Salem · Thai
Thai Harmony is genuinely worth visiting for the food — the khao soi and kai yang have real fans for a reason, and the downtown space is one of the better dining rooms in Winston-Salem. But come for the kitchen, not the cellar. Until the wine program shows us something specific worth recommending, you're better off ordering a Thai iced tea and saving the wine for another night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Modern Mexican
Alma Mexicana is a genuine wild card — a modern Mexican restaurant in Winston-Salem with a wine program that's quietly pointing at Old World Europe instead of the expected California house pour. We need the full list to give you the real numbers, but the instinct here is good enough to warrant ordering something other than a margarita.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Bottle Shop
The Caviste is doing something genuinely weird for Winston-Salem — a curated, Austria-only bottle shop with prices that should embarrass most restaurant wine lists. If you're even slightly curious about Grüner Veltliner or natural-leaning reds, this is a low-risk, high-reward detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Winery Tasting Room / Light Bites
Divine Llama is a fun, farm-genuine detour if you're exploring North Carolina wine country and want something local and unpretentious. Don't come for depth or discovery beyond the estate — come for the story, the setting, and a glass of Traminette you probably wouldn't have ordered anywhere else.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Winston Salem · American Cafe
West End Cafe isn't a wine destination, but it's a perfectly decent place to drink something decent without overpaying for it. Send a friend here if they want wine with dinner and aren't looking to make an event out of it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Market
Little Pep is doing something genuinely uncommon for Winston-Salem: a short, confident, all-by-the-glass natural wine list with real producer cred and fair prices. Send a curious friend here; skip sending someone who wants a Napa Cab.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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