A Solid Midtown List That Gets the Job Done
Midtown · Atlanta · Modern American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 1, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Saints + Council is compact — 33 labels — but it reads like someone actually thought about it. You're not staring at a wall of Kendall-Jackson and calling it a day. There's some European ambition here tucked between the expected California crowd-pleasers.
The list splits its attention between France, Italy, and California with reasonable success. On the white side, you've got Pascal Jolivet Attitude Sauvignon Blanc sitting next to a Fevre Chablis and a Hugel Gentil — that's a legit trifecta of French whites that suggests someone cared. The reds lean into Pinot Noir pretty hard, with Stoller and Domaine Dubois both represented, which gives you both a reliable Oregon option and a French angle. The Italian presence — Fattoria dei Barbi Sangiovese and Famiglia Rivetti Nebbiolo — is a nice touch, though the list could use more depth in that lane. Leviathan Red Blend is there for the bold-red crowd, and the Bodegas Ontañon Crianza is a quietly interesting Rioja-adjacent pick that most tables will walk right past.
By-the-glass specifics aren't published, which is a minor frustration — you shouldn't have to flag down a server to know your options before sitting down. Based on the list structure, expect a handful of pours covering the basics: a white, a red, maybe the Hecht & Bannier Rosé. Nothing that suggests a rotating or curated glass program.
Bodegas Ontañon Crianza Tempranillo/Garnacha — null
Rioja Crianza at a restaurant is almost always underpriced relative to what's in the glass — aged in oak, food-friendly, and consistently underrated by tables chasing Cabernet. Price unknown, but this is the move if you want the most wine for your dollar.
Hugel Gentil White Blend
Alsatian white blends don't get ordered enough at restaurants, and Hugel is a reliable name. The Gentil is aromatic, slightly off-dry, and interesting in a way that the Sauvignon Blancs flanking it just aren't. Most tables skip it. Don't be most tables.
Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc
Stoneleigh is a perfectly fine grocery-store Marlborough SB, but it has no business being on a restaurant list next to Pascal Jolivet. You're paying restaurant markup on a bottle that retails for under $15. Spend a few dollars more for the Jolivet and actually enjoy yourself.
Fevre Fevre Chablis + Any seafood or light fish preparation on the menu
Unoaked Chablis and anything from the sea is one of the most reliable combinations in wine. The mineral, citrus-driven character of Fevre's Chablis cuts through richness and doesn't fight the kitchen. If there's a crudo, oyster, or white fish dish running, this is your bottle.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Saints + Council isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's not phoning it in either. The list has enough personality to reward someone who digs past the obvious picks — just expect to do that work yourself.
Decatur · Atlanta · Bakery / Café
B-Side at the Bakery is the best argument we've seen for what a café wine list can be when someone actually cares. If you're in Decatur, this is a mandatory stop — come for the coffee, stay for the Morgon.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Atlanta · Bottle Shop / Market
Savi Provisions is a Wild Card because nobody expects to find Quilceda Creek and Joseph Phelps Insignia next to the olive bar — but the narrow focus and market-tier markups mean this is really a stop for collectors on a grocery run, not a destination for curious drinkers. Worth a browse; approach the register with caution.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Japanese/Listening Bar
Kinjo Room isn't a wine destination — it's a vibe destination that happens to have a respectable wine list sitting quietly in the corner. Come for the atmosphere, stay for the Sancerre, and resist the urge to order the Prisoner.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Venezuelan
Is this a wine destination? Absolutely not. But for a casual Venezuelan spot pouring everything by the glass under $9, Arepa Mia earns its Wild Card badge by simply giving a damn when they didn't have to.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Midtown · Atlanta · Modern Alpine / European
Avize is doing something genuinely unusual in Atlanta — building a wine list that mirrors the cuisine's Alpine soul instead of defaulting to crowd-pleasing predictability. If you care about drinking something you've never heard of alongside food that earns it, get a reservation.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Duluth · Atlanta · Italian
Luciano's wine list won't blow any minds, but it does its job — fair prices, generous by-the-glass options, and a couple of genuine Italian picks that match the food on the plate. Send a friend here for dinner without worrying they'll get gouged.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hotel Eleo / UF Campus South · Gainesville · Modern American
Covey isn't a wine destination, but it's a decent place to drink a glass of something recognizable at a price that won't wreck your evening. If you're already there for dinner, lean into the Chardonnay or the Tribunal Red and skip the Meiomi.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Grand Rapids · Modern American
Reserve is the rare wine program in a mid-sized American city that can genuinely compete with major metro restaurant lists — deep cellar, knowledgeable staff, and more by-the-glass options than most places have bottles. Markups trend steep at the top end, but the sheer scope of what's available makes it worth every visit.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
North Columbus / Whittlesey Boulevard · Columbus · Modern American
Ivory & Oak is a reliable wine stop in a city that isn't exactly crawling with serious lists — the room is great, the pours are familiar, and the markup is the main thing holding it back from something better. Go for the steak, order the Merlot, and don't expect to be challenged.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
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.