Great Horses, Forgettable Wine List
Race Course / Union Avenue · Saratoga Springs · American, trackside dining · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed July 20, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Saratoga Race Course Dining Rooms’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list here is an afterthought dressed up in race day excitement. You're paying for the view of the track and the thrill of the Sport of Kings — the wine program knows it, and so do you the moment you see Josh Cellars and Mionetto Prosecco anchoring the offerings. This is a captive audience situation, and the list is priced accordingly.
The producer roster reads like the shelf at a mid-tier airport wine bar: Joel Gott, Ruffino, Josh Cellars, Chandon, Moët. These are not bad wines in isolation, but as a curated list for a reservation-only dining room charging $20–$40 per entrée, they're punching well below their weight class. There's no regional depth to speak of, no adventurous producers, and no indication that anyone with wine knowledge has touched this list recently. California and Italy dominate, France makes a cameo via Moët, and that's essentially the whole story.
By-the-glass specifics aren't published, but given the producer lineup — Josh Cellars, Mionetto, Chandon — expect a short, safe pour list that rotates about as often as the track layout changes. The Frosé situation (Josh Cellars base) tells you everything you need to know about the ambition level here.
Chandon California Brut — Unknown
If you're going to drink anything here, bubbles fit the celebratory racetrack energy and Chandon is at least a competent domestic sparkler. It's the most contextually appropriate pour on the list.
Moët & Chandon Champagne
It's not exactly obscure, but in this context Moët is quietly the most serious wine on the list. If you're splurging on a big race day win, skipping the Josh Cellars Frosé and going straight to actual Champagne is the move — it's the only thing here with genuine occasion-worthy credentials.
Josh Cellars Frosé
A frozen rosé cocktail built on a mass-market California brand, priced at a trackside premium. This is a novelty item, not a wine experience. The markup on something this gimmicky at a captive-audience venue is almost certainly brutal.
Mionetto Prosecco + Seafood (shrimp or raw bar, Turf Terrace)
Mionetto is light, effervescent, and low-commitment — exactly what you want with cold seafood in the August heat while watching horses run. It won't challenge you, but neither will it embarrass you.
The Bottom Line
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.
Downtown · Saratoga Springs · Casual Italian
Wheatfields is a reliable neighborhood Italian stop, and the wine list does exactly what it needs to — it covers the room without taking any risks. The Dr. Konstantin Frank Riesling and the Louis Jadot Mâcon Village are the two picks worth seeking out; everything else is competent filler at markups that could be friendlier. If you want to drink well here, order by the glass and go off the beaten path.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · Winery Bistro
Thirsty Owl Saratoga is a single-producer concept that leans all the way in, and if you're curious about Finger Lakes wines in a comfortable dining setting, it's a genuinely good place to learn the range. The wild card badge fits: you won't find the usual suspects here, but that's exactly the point. Go in knowing what you're signing up for and you'll walk out pleasantly educated.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · Italian / Pizzeria
Village Pizzeria's wine list is a pleasant surprise for a Saratoga Springs Italian spot — fair prices, a serious BTG count, and enough Italian-regional picks to reward the curious. It's not a destination wine list, but if you order the Lugana or the Vermentino instead of the default Pinot Grigio, you'll drink well without overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · New American / Fine Dining
Morgan & Co. has built a wine list that respects its guests without overcharging them — fair pricing, a meaningful by-the-glass selection, and enough off-the-beaten-path picks to reward the curious. It's not a destination wine list, but if you're in Saratoga Springs and want a reliable bottle alongside a fine dining meal, you're in good hands. Go for the Sancerre, take a flyer on the Falanghina, and let someone else order the Rombauer.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · Italian
Noah's Italian made a bold structural call — every wine by the glass, no exceptions — and the Italian-focused selection backs it up with real producers like Ratti, Tornatorre, and Buglioni rather than the usual suspects. We don't know what's on the plate or who's pouring, but on the strength of the wine list alone, this is worth a visit if you're in Saratoga Springs and want to drink Italian wine without committing to a full bottle.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · Winery tasting room / light bites
Adirondack Winery isn't trying to be a destination wine list — it's a tasting room that wants you to leave with a bottle of something you didn't know was made in New York. The pricing is genuinely fair across all 36 labels, the Baco Noir and Cab Franc give curious drinkers something worth lingering on, and the Meritage 2019 at $44.99 tops out the range without gouging anyone. If you're passing through the Lake George area and curious about what northeastern New York actually grows, this is worth the stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
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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