Great Tacos, Forgettable Wine List
Uptown/Stockade District · Kingston · Southwestern / Mexican · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 24, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Santa Fe Uptown’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Santa Fe Uptown is a single laminated page that feels like an afterthought — seven bottles, seven glasses, one price for everything. It's the kind of list that was built to not be thought about, and it shows.
Seven wines covering five countries sounds ambitious until you realize the names: Dark Horse, La Marca, Tussock Jumper, Alamos. These are grocery store endcap regulars, not curated picks. There's no depth here — no Hudson Valley producers to nod at the local crowd, no interesting grapes, no old-world character worth lingering on. The Tussock Jumper Pinot Noir is the lone French bottle and it's about as French as a beret in a souvenir shop. The list was built for speed and simplicity, not for anyone who actually thinks about wine.
Every single wine on the list is available by the glass, which sounds generous until you realize the list is only seven bottles deep. At $12 a pour across the board, there's no tiering, no surprise, no reason to linger over the decision. Rotation appears nonexistent — this list has the energy of something that hasn't changed since the Obama administration.
Alamos Malbec — $12/glass
If you're drinking wine here, the Alamos Malbec is your move. It's a known Argentine producer with enough body to stand up to enchiladas and smoky salsas, and at $12 a glass it's at least in a reasonable zone for casual dining. Not exciting, but it works.
Seasonal Rosé
The one wildcard on an otherwise paint-by-numbers list. Rotating seasonally means it's the only wine here that might actually change, and a dry rosé works surprisingly well with fish tacos and guacamole. Ask what it is before you order — the answer will tell you a lot about how much the staff actually knows.
Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon
Dark Horse retails for around $8 a bottle. At $34 a bottle here that's a 4x markup on a wine you can grab at any gas station on the way home. Order a margarita instead — it's the better call and probably the better deal.
Kono Sauvignon Blanc + Fish Tacos
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and fish tacos are a genuinely solid match — the citrus and herbaceous snap in the Kono cuts through the batter and plays nicely against any lime crema or cabbage slaw. It's the most logical wine-food moment on an otherwise logic-free list.
The Bottom Line
Santa Fe Uptown is a legitimately fun place to eat — the food gets real love, the room has energy, and the margaritas are probably doing heavy lifting at most tables. Come for the tacos and the vibe, order a cocktail, and treat the wine list as exactly what it is: background noise.
· Kingston · New American, Hotel Restaurant
Restaurant Kinsley is a hotel restaurant that treats wine as a utility — something to have on the table, not something to think about. The $10 flat pricing is fair and the Crémant is a bright spot, but five labels with no rotation and no depth is a hard sell if wine is part of why you're going out. Drink the bubbles, enjoy the room, and don't come here expecting a wine experience.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kingston · Italian, Pizza and Pasta
Lola Pizza isn't trying to be a wine bar, but it's clearly not phoning in the list either. The natural wine orientation and Italian varietal focus are smart choices for the food coming out of that kitchen. We'd go back — and we'd let the list surprise us.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kingston · Mexican Grill
Los Jalapenos isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that abundantly clear. At $7 a glass across the board the pricing is hard to argue with, but when you don't know what producer you're drinking, cheap doesn't feel like a win — it just feels anonymous. Order a margarita and save the wine night for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kingston · Wine bar, small plates
Brunette is exactly the kind of neighborhood wine bar that mid-size cities desperately need — small, smart, and staffed by people who can actually talk to you about what's in the glass. The France-and-Germany backbone, the jewel-box intimacy, and the knowledgeable staff make this a genuinely worthwhile stop in Kingston, especially if you're pairing a pour with the baked oysters or working through the charcuterie. We'd send a friend here without hesitation.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kingston · Bottle shop
Kingston Wine Co. is not trying to be everything to everyone — it stocks twenty bottles of stuff its buyers actually believe in, prices them honestly, and trusts you to figure out the rest. If you're in the Hudson Valley and you care about what's in your glass, this is a mandatory stop. Walk in, pick up the Leclair Gamay and the Tenuta Sella, and thank us later.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kingston · American Diner
Boulevard Diner is almost certainly a perfectly fine place to eat a stack of pancakes or a club sandwich. The wine list, however, is an afterthought — six anonymous varietals with no pricing, no producers, and no personality. Order the coffee.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Stamford · Southwestern / Mexican
Geronimo is a tequila bar first and a wine destination never — but for what it is, the wine list punches above its weight class. If you're the one at the table who doesn't want a margarita, you're not stranded here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Las Colinas · Irving · Southwestern / Mexican
Via Real is a reliable pick when someone else is choosing the restaurant — the wine list is safe, priced on the steeper side, and built for the business-dinner crowd that just wants something familiar and good. Don't come hunting for discovery; come knowing what you want and you'll leave happy.
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.
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