Great Views, Wine List Phoning It In
Downtown / Caroline Street · Saratoga Springs · Bar Food / American Pub Fare
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Rooftop at Saratoga City Tavern’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The rooftop is genuinely fun — open air, Caroline Street energy, the kind of place you end up at after the races. But flip to the wine section and you're looking at six labels that could've been pulled from a gas station cooler. This list exists because it has to, not because anyone cared.
Six wines covering California, New Zealand, Italy, and Oregon sounds like range until you see the actual labels: Primary Wines Chardonnay, The Pinot Project Pinot Grigio, Massey Dacta Sauvignon Blanc. These are entry-level, high-volume pours designed for margins, not for drinking. The Oregon rep is EZYTGR Red Blend — served chilled, which at least shows some self-awareness about the wine's weight. There's no depth here, no regional story, and zero producer ambition. The two Mionetto splits round things out, which is fine, but Mionetto is about as bold a sparkling choice as a cheese pizza.
All six wines are available by the glass at a flat $12, which sounds fair until you clock what's actually in the glass. Mionetto Prosecco and Mionetto Sparkling Rosé come as splits rather than full pours, adding a fun format but not a lot of substance. There's no rotation, no seasonal swap, no sense that anyone is refreshing this program.
Massey Dacta Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Marlborough — $12
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is reliably expressive even at this price tier — bright, grassy, high-acid — and it's the one wine on this list that will actually cut through a hot afternoon on the rooftop. It's your best bet here.
EZYTGR Red Blend 2023, Oregon
Served chilled, which is either a quirky touch or an accident of storage, but Oregon red blends at this level often skew lighter and fruit-forward enough that a slight chill actually works. It's the one unexpected move on a very safe list.
Primary Wines Chardonnay 2023, California
Generic California Chardonnay at $12 a glass is a tough sell when the same money gets you the Sauvignon Blanc. There's nothing wrong with it, but there's nothing right with it either. It exists to fill a checkbox.
Mionetto Sparkling Rosé (split) + Pub appetizers / bar bites
You're on a rooftop bar — nobody's getting the tasting menu. A cold split of Mionetto Sparkling Rosé with whatever fried thing lands on the table is the honest move. It's light, it's fizzy, and it keeps the vibe going without overthinking it.
❌ The Bottom Line
Come for the rooftop, stay for the beer — because the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved seems fine with that. If wine is on your agenda tonight, this is not your stop.
Downtown · Saratoga Springs · Tuscan Italian
Forno Bistro isn't a destination wine list, but it's a fair and functional one that respects your wallet — especially on Mondays when half-price bottles make a $30 Chianti feel like a genuine gift. Send your friends here for a fun dinner; just don't send the ones who want to talk about terroir.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Side / Route 50 Area · Saratoga Springs · Wine Bar and Bistro
If you're in Saratoga and want an honest, unpretentious look at what the Finger Lakes can do, Thirsty Owl earns the stop — especially on the patio in the warmer months. Just go in knowing this is a winery showcase, not a global wine bar, and you'll leave happy.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Side / Route 29 · Saratoga Springs · Winery with American Fare / Wood-Fired Pizza
The Saratoga Winery is a legitimate Wild Card: a single-producer list of cold-hardy New York grapes served in an Adirondack tasting room with live music and wood-fired pizza. It's not a destination for serious wine exploration, but it's a genuinely fun, low-stakes way to drink something you've never tried before.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
Downtown · Saratoga Springs · Upscale New American
15 Church has the bones of a genuinely good wine program — the range is there, the interesting picks exist — but the pricing is aggressive enough that you'll spend more time doing mental math than enjoying your glass. Stick to the Old World bottles and avoid anything with a recognizable California label.
Solid Range
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Race Course / Union Avenue · Saratoga Springs · American, trackside dining
Come for the races, stay for the atmosphere, but don't come here for the wine. If you need something in a glass to toast a winner, grab the Champagne and leave it at that.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Maple Avenue · Saratoga Springs · Jazz Bar / Cocktail Bar
Come to Nine Maple Avenue for the live jazz, the whiskey program, and the atmosphere — the wine list is a placeholder, not a reason to visit. If you're committed to ordering wine, grab the Château D'Esclans Rosé and enjoy the music.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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