Ocean views, serious California pours, Maine magic
Cape Elizabeth · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Sea Glass’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You're sitting inside a coastal Maine inn with the Atlantic doing its thing outside the window, and then the wine list lands — 150-plus bottles deep, anchored by California and France, with a Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator to back it up. It's more serious than the setting lets on. That's a good surprise.
The list leans hard into California and Burgundy, which turns out to be exactly right for the food coming out of this kitchen. Ridge Monte Bello and Kistler Chardonnay sit at the top end, while Jordan Cab and Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches handle the middle tier without embarrassing themselves. Louis Jadot fills in the French lane credibly. Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir is a smart regional nod — Pacific Northwest sneaking in alongside the French and Californian heavyweights. The gaps are real: no meaningful Southern Hemisphere presence, minimal Italy, and the list won't excite anyone chasing grower Champagne or natural wine — but that's not what this place is going for.
Somewhere between 12 and 20 pours by the glass, which is a solid offering for a coastal New England inn restaurant. Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling showing up on the by-the-glass program is a genuinely smart move given all the seafood on this menu. We'd like to see more rotation, but what's here is well-chosen.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $50
Off-dry Washington Riesling at the low end of the price range with the ocean right outside — it's the most versatile pour on the list for a menu built around lobster, scallops, and swordfish. Hard to beat the value here.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir
Most people at a coastal Maine spot are reaching for Chardonnay or a big California red, but this Oregon Pinot — Burgundian winemaking applied to Willamette Valley fruit — is the sleeper hit on this list. It bridges the French and American halves of the wine program and holds up beautifully against richer seafood preparations.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
Jordan is fine wine, full stop — but it's also widely distributed and easy to find at retail for significantly less than restaurant pricing. You're not discovering anything here, and the markup on a recognizable label like this rarely works in your favor. Spend those dollars on the Ridge Monte Bello instead if you want California Cab.
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay + Pan-seared scallops
Kistler is big, structured California Chardonnay with enough weight to stand up to the sear on the scallops and enough acid to cut through whatever butter or cream is involved. This is the kind of pairing that makes the ocean view feel earned.
The Bottom Line
Sea Glass is a coastal inn restaurant punching well above its category on the wine front — the Wine Spectator credential is legitimate, the California and Burgundy anchors are sound, and the Riesling-forward glass program is tailor-made for Maine seafood. It's not going to blow out a wine obsessive, but for everyone else eating with a view of the Atlantic, this list genuinely delivers.
Eagle Ranch · Vail · American
The Wild Sage is your dependable neighborhood spot in Eagle Ranch — the wine list won't blow your mind, but it won't embarrass you at dinner either. Watch the markups on the top-shelf Napa bottles and stick to the mid-range, and you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Traverse City · American
Warehouse Kitchen + Cork won't win any awards for depth or ambition, but it plays its hand honestly — fair prices, solid local representation, and a full by-the-glass program that respects your wallet. If you're in Traverse City and want a glass of something local with a water view, this works.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Truckee · Truckee · American
Sunnyside is a casual lodge restaurant wearing a serious wine list under its flannel — the markup is steep and it won't win any awards for staff expertise, but the producer lineup is legitimately impressive for where you're sitting. If you're already at the lake, this is absolutely worth ordering a real bottle.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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