Margaritas First, Wine Dead Last
South Willow · Manchester · Mexican · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 18, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Shorty's Mexican Roadhouse – Manchester’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 Shorty's feels like an afterthought tucked behind the margarita menu — and honestly, that tracks. This place runs on frozen drinks and fajita platters, and the wine program exists purely as a checkbox. If you came here hoping to find something interesting in a glass, recalibrate your expectations immediately.
The list tops out around 10-20 bottles, almost exclusively California, and not the interesting California. We're talking grocery store endcap: Cupcake, Apothic, Woodbridge. There's no regional variety, no attempt to find something that actually plays nicely with Mexican food, and zero evidence that anyone involved in building this list thought about it for more than fifteen minutes. A crisp Albariño or even a basic Grüner would do so much more for a plate of enchiladas than Apothic Red, but here we are.
Six to ten options by the glass, which sounds decent until you realize they're all pulling from the same shallow pool of mass-market California brands. There's no rotation, no seasonal picks, nothing that suggests anyone is paying attention. Order the margarita.
Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon — null
If you're locked into ordering wine here, Woodbridge Cab is the most predictable and least likely to disappoint — it's consistent, inoffensive, and widely available, so at least you know what you're getting. Price unknown, but don't expect a steal.
Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc
It's not exciting, but a cold pour of Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc with a plate of salsa and chips is actually more coherent than anything else on this list — the acidity cuts through the salt and heat in a way that Apothic Red absolutely cannot. Low bar, but it clears it.
Apothic Red
A sweet, jammy blend built for the wine aisle, not for a table with fajitas and hot sauce. The residual sugar and the spice on the plate fight each other the entire time, and you're paying restaurant markup on a $10 bottle. Hard pass.
Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc + Enchiladas
The bright citrus and grassy edge of the Sauvignon Blanc is the only thing on this list with enough acidity to hold up against a saucy enchilada plate. It's not a revelation — it's just the least wrong answer available.
The Bottom Line
Shorty's is a margarita bar that happens to have wine on the menu — and the wine knows it. Come for the frozen drinks and the fajitas; leave the wine list to collect dust.
Manchester · Manchester · Wine Bar / Small Plates
Vine Thirty Two is doing the most credible wine program in Manchester, and by a comfortable margin. Send a friend here — just tell them to skip the Whispering Angel and ask questions.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Manchester · Manchester · Mexican
Margaritas Manchester is a fun night out, and the bar program clearly gets the attention. The wine list is not the reason to come here — order the cocktails, enjoy the room, and don't overthink the glass pours.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Millyard · Manchester · Casual American
Come here for the burgers and maybe a beer — the wine list is an obligation, not an attraction. If wine matters to your night out, this isn't your spot.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Manchester · Manchester · Modern American Grill
110 Grill Manchester is the wine equivalent of a reliable friend — not the most exciting person in the room, but they always show up and they never let you down. Send your friends here if they want a decent glass with dinner and zero stress; just don't send the Burgundy nerds.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Willow · Manchester · Tex-Mex
Cactus Jack's is a fun place to eat Tex-Mex and throw back a margarita, and that's exactly the order of operations we'd recommend. The wine list is an afterthought dressed up as a menu section — don't send a friend here for wine unless the friend truly doesn't care about wine.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Willow · Manchester · American Grill
T-BONES is not a wine destination, and it knows it — the list exists to support the food, not the other way around. If you're in South Willow and you want a decent glass with your haddock or steak tips without getting gouged, this does the job.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sedona · Mexican
89Agave is almost certainly a fun spot to eat — it's a cantina in Sedona, and the margaritas are probably doing the heavy lifting here anyway. The wine list, though, is purely functional and priced without much generosity, particularly at the higher end. If wine matters to your evening, order something simple by the glass and move on; this program isn't the reason to visit.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Murfreesboro · Mexican
Casa Tios is a Mexican restaurant that serves wine because people ask for it, not because anyone here is passionate about it. Order the margarita, or lean into the sangria — and save your serious wine night for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McKinney · Mexican
Mi Cocina McKinney put exactly zero thought into their wine program, and it shows in every predictable bottle on that nine-label list. Order a margarita and don't look back.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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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