Adriatic Wines Meet Chicago Ambition
West Loop · Chicago · Croatian-Italian
Updated October 2026
Reviewed March 8, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Rose Mary’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
This is what happens when a kitchen with Croatian roots meets a sommelier with serious European wine obsession. The 150+ bottle list reads like a love letter to the Adriatic and Northern Italy, with enough depth in Champagne and Burgundy to keep the Francophiles happy. You don't see Istrian Refošk and Slavonian wines on many Chicago lists — this is the exception.
The Italian section is where Rose Mary flexes hardest: deep cuts in Piedmont (Gaja Costa Russi at $900 if you're celebrating something major), Friuli skin-contact legends like Gravner Ribolla Gialla ($276), and serious Tuscany representation with Isole e Olena Cepparello ($280). The Croatian and Slovenian selections aren't token inclusions — they're thoughtfully curated with producers like Rodića showing the region's potential. California gets some play but takes a backseat to the Old World focus, and the Champagne selection punches above its weight with grower gems like Egly-Ouriet ($300). The only gap? No half-bottle options for indecisive duos.
Eighteen by-the-glass pours running $13-$25 is a solid spread, and they're not phoning it in with the usual suspects. You've got Lambrusco from Medici Ermete ($15), Istrian Refošk rosé from Rodića ($17), and even a Franciacorta from Le Machesine ($18) that shows they're serious about bubbles. The rotation seems static rather than seasonal, but the quality-to-price ratio on most pours makes up for the lack of turnover.
Bernard Coste 'Mont Rose' Zero Grenache NV — $13
A skin-contact Grenache for thirteen bucks by the glass with only 38% markup over retail? They're practically giving this away. Savory, textured, and weird in the best way.
Paolo Bea Sagrantino
Most people skip Sagrantino thinking it's too tannic and brooding, but Bea's natural approach softens the edges while keeping that dark fruit intensity. At $270-$338, it's not cheap, but it's a masterclass in Umbrian winemaking that pairs shockingly well with the wood-fired octopus.
Beckmen Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2023
A 172% markup on a $25 retail bottle to charge $68 is highway robbery, even if Beckmen makes good wine. There are better values all over this list.
Rodića Refošk 'Col Fondo' Rosé 2022 + Crudo
This cloudy, unfiltered Istrian rosé has the salinity and acidity to cut through raw fish while the col fondo texture adds just enough grip. It's like the wine version of the Adriatic coast.
The Bottom Line
Rose Mary isn't just serving Croatian food with Croatian wines as a gimmick — this is a legitimately excellent wine program that happens to specialize in a region most Americans ignore. Fair markups, knowledgeable staff, and a list that rewards curiosity make this a wine geek destination.
· Chicago · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão Chicago's wine list is built for throughput, not discovery — it's reliable, reasonably ranged by the glass, and anchored by South American selections that at least make thematic sense with the food. The markups are steeper than we'd like and the list won't excite anyone who drinks wine as seriously as they eat meat, but the Catena Malbec and the Bodega Garzón Albariño are legitimate picks that rise above the crowd-pleaser baseline. Come for the churrasco, drink the Catena, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
River North · Chicago · Seafood
A seafood house with a long, mixed list: a Seafood Whites section, Burgundy and Napa depth, and 22 pours by the glass. Order the Marc Brédif "Royal Oyster" Muscadet with a half dozen oysters, or start with the $11/glass Charles de Fère, and confirm current prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
River North · Chicago · Mediterranean, Steakhouse
A Napa-heavy bottle list with a real Greek section and a short, priced glass board. Start with the $10 happy-hour Vermentino or, if you are staying for dinner, the AA Sigalas Assyrtiko at $75, and confirm prices and availability when you sit down. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Magnificent Mile · Chicago · Mediterranean
A 38-pour glass list with unpriced Champagne and Burgundy-heavy bottle pages behind it. Start with the $14 Tiberio Trebbiano or the $15 Thymiopoulos Assyrtiko, and ask for bottle prices because the posted bottle pages carry none. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks menu, not service, storage or markups.
Fulton Market · Chicago · Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
A Mediterranean list built around Greece and Lebanon, with 18 wines on the by-the-glass pages. Start with the Kalokaíri rosé (16 / 64) or the Chateau Musar "Jeune Rouge" (19 / 76), and confirm current vintages and prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
River North · Chicago · American
A short 14-wine list, with most price pairs between $13 and $15 and four single-price wines at $72 to $80. Order the Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling at $13 | 50, or the Provence rosé if you want the one French wine, and ask which number is the glass price. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
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