One Producer, Five Bottles, All Napa
· Newport News · American Bistro · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed September 10, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Second Street American Bistro’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list here is about five bottles deep — and every single one of them is from Spoto Family Wines. That's not a wine list, that's a curated partnership, and we mean that as a mild compliment. It takes a certain confidence to go all-in on one producer.
This is essentially a Spoto Family Wines tasting flight in restaurant form. You've got a Petaluma Gap Pinot Noir sitting alongside four Oakville Cabernet-focused bottles spanning 2011 to 2021 — including two different reserve tiers. The range of vintages is genuinely interesting: the 2011 and 2015 Private Reserve Cuvees offer some age on them, which is rare to find poured at a bistro. What's missing: anything outside California, anything white, anything under $50 if we had to guess.
By-the-glass options aren't confirmed from what we saw, and the wine dinner menu format suggests these may be served in a paired, coursed setting rather than off a standard glass pour list. If you're walking in hoping to order a single pour of Pinot at the bar, call ahead.
The Bottom Line
This isn't a wine list in the traditional sense — it's a producer showcase, and Second Street leans into it with a multi-course dinner format. If you're into Napa and trust the Spoto brand, it's a worthwhile evening; if you wanted options, you're out of luck.
· Newport News · Chinese
P.F. Chang's Newport News doesn't take wine seriously, and the two-bottle list makes that plain. The $6 price point softens the blow, but if wine matters to your meal, you're better off sticking to the cocktail menu or a cold Tsingtao. We wouldn't steer anyone here for the wine program.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
City Center · Newport News · Hotel Restaurant / New American
Latitudes won't inspire any wine lists of its own, but it's honest about what it is: a competent hotel wine program priced fairly enough that you won't feel gouged when the check arrives. If you're here for dinner, grab the Arcturos Riesling or the Campuget Rosé, avoid The Prisoner's markup, and pair wisely with the seafood. It does the job.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport News · Italian
Carrabba's wine list does exactly what a chain wine list does: it keeps people comfortable and keeps margins high. If you're here for a business dinner or a family birthday, order the TerraMare house pour and move on — but don't come here expecting wine to be part of the experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport News · American
Cheddar's is a casual comfort-food chain, and the wine list reflects exactly that level of ambition — none. Order a beer or a cocktail and save the wine conversation for somewhere that wants to have it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport News · Steakhouse / Cocktail Bar
Steak & Tonic is a genuinely surprising find for Newport News — the wine ambitions outpace most steakhouses in its weight class, even if the execution can wobble and the pricing likely skews steep. It earns the Wild Card badge because it's the kind of place you walk into expecting a cocktail and walk out talking about the wine list.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport News · Wine Bar
Vino Noir Social isn't trying to be a Burgundy deep-dive — it's trying to be a good time in Newport News, and at these prices with a fully by-the-glass list, it mostly delivers. Send a friend who's still exploring wine and wants a low-stakes, affordable night out.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hampden · Baltimore · American Bistro
The Food Market's Hampden list is short and approachable, with most wines posted between 10 / 38 and 15 / 56. Start with the Saverio Faro Nero d'Avola at 11 / 40, or the Saumur Chenin Blanc at 12 / 46 if you want a white that isn't Chardonnay; with the crab cake, try the Cune Rioja at 12 / 46. Confirm current availability and prices, since the site's separate Drinks page lists different wines; this unrated guide covers the posted Hampden wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Jersey City · American Bistro
Court Street's wine list is functional and fair — no embarrassing markups, a couple of genuinely good pours hiding among the Coastal Ridge, and glass prices that won't wreck your dinner tab. It's not a destination for wine lovers, but it's a perfectly fine neighborhood spot where you can drink the Rioja or the Sancerre and have a good night. Send your friends here for dinner; just steer them away from the mystery Champagne.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Memorial Boulevard / Bellevue Avenue · Newport · American Bistro
Jo's is the neighborhood bistro wine list you already know — safe, fair, and perfectly matched to its cozy Newport setting. Send a friend here if they want a decent glass with clam chowder and no pressure; send a wine-obsessed friend somewhere else.
Plays It Safe
Fair
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.