Vinyl, tinned fish, and serious Old World pours
· St. Paul · Wine Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 16, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Small Hours’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Small Hours feels like stumbling into a friend's apartment — if that friend had exceptionally good taste in wine and knew exactly how loud to set the record player. The list reads like it was curated by someone who actually drinks, not someone trying to impress a corporate account. France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Croatia — this isn't a greatest-hits comp, it's a real playlist.
The regional spread here leans hard into Europe, with France and Germany anchoring the list alongside less-expected stops in Croatia and Austria — the kind of choices that signal someone behind this program is paying attention. You're not going to find a wall of Napa Cabs or a parade of mass-market imports; the focus is tight and intentional. The U.S. shows up too, but it's not the headliner — more of a supporting act that earns its spot. Gaps are hard to fault when the concept is this focused; Small Hours knows what it is and doesn't try to be everything.
We don't have a confirmed glass count, but given the format — intimate, bottle-forward, shareable plates — expect a rotating short list that changes with the season and the staff's current obsessions. That's a feature, not a bug. If you see something unfamiliar, ask — that's exactly the kind of place where the person pouring knows why it's there.
The Bottom Line
Small Hours is the rare Minneapolis wine bar that feels like it was built for people who actually love wine, not just the idea of it. If you're showing up for a bottle and some duck leg confit with a record on in the background, you're going to have a very good night.
Mill District · St. Paul · Wine Bar / Bistro
Milly's is for the curious drinker who wants to understand wine, not just drink it, and the comparative flight format makes that happen without any lecturing. If you're in St. Paul and want to actually learn something about what's in your glass, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
· St. Paul · American / Sports-Adjacent Brasserie
Herbie's wine program is on autopilot — it gets the job done for guests who just want something familiar with their meal, but anyone who actually cares about what's in the glass should order a cocktail and move on. Send your wine-curious friends somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· St. Paul · Cafe / Pizza / Bakery
Cafe Latte is the Wild Card because nobody expects a café in St. Paul to stock Ridge and Scribe alongside a Sancerre and a Quinta de Noval Port at these prices. Go for the pizza, stay because the wine list is quietly doing something right.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
St. Paul · St. Paul · Wine Bar / Music Venue
Troubadour is a legit Wild Card — a music venue with enough wine ambition to surprise you, held back by steep markups and a list that plays it safe on the red side. Come for the Dolcetto and the Rimage, skip the Oaky California bottles, and enjoy the show.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
St. Paul · St. Paul · Mediterranean / New American
Domacin is doing something genuinely unusual — a full by-the-glass list with real depth and fair prices — and it mostly lands. If you're in St. Paul and want to actually explore wine with dinner, this is the room to be in.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Cathedral Hill / Summit Avenue · St. Paul · Wine Bar / Retail with Food Pop-Ups
Solo Vino is the kind of wine shop that moonlights as a destination, and the tasting bar makes it worth the trip even if you don't buy a bottle — though you will. Send your wine-curious friends here before they spend the same money on something forgettable at a restaurant down the street.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
John Wayne Airport – Terminal B · Santa Ana · Wine Bar
Vino Volo clears the airport bar bar by a comfortable margin — better-than-expected service, a list that at least tries, and a seat that makes a delay feel like less of a punishment. Just don't look too hard at the markup and you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Los Feliz · Los Angeles · Wine Bar
Tabula Rasa is the kind of wine bar that rewards regulars — the list rotates, the prices are fair, and the room alone is worth the visit. We'd send friends here on a Tuesday without hesitation.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Tucson · Wine Bar
Tinajas is doing something genuinely uncommon for Tucson: a thoughtfully curated, bubble-centric list with fair pricing and real range across sparkling styles and regions. Send a friend here if they think bubbles are just for celebrations — this list will change their mind.
Small but Thoughtful
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
