Ann Arbor's Approachable Wine Bar Done Right
· Ann Arbor · New American / Wine Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Spencer’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Spencer's wine list reads like a confident crowd-pleaser — 69 labels, 35 by-the-glass options, and a clear focus on names people already know and trust. It's not trying to impress anyone with obscure natural producers or deep cellar dives, and that's fine. For Ann Arbor, this is a genuinely solid wine program.
The list leans hard into California and the Pacific Northwest — Duckhorn, Sonoma-Cutrer, Meiomi, Bonanza — with some token European representation via Louis Latour and Riff Pinot Grigio. There's a decent sparkling section and a few rosé options including the obligatory Whispering Angel, but don't come here looking for anything from the Rhône, Burgundy proper, or anywhere remotely offbeat. Idlewild's Flora & Fauna 2021 is the lone adventurous pick, a field blend from California's Sierra Foothills that doesn't quite fit the mold of everything else on the list. The bottle ceiling hits $705, which suggests at least some aspiration toward a serious cellar, though the everyday list doesn't quite back that up.
Thirty-five by-the-glass options is genuinely impressive for a mid-sized restaurant, and Spencer clearly wants the glass program to carry the room. The range spans sparkling, rosé, whites, and reds, with prices running from $19 up to a jarring $52 for the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2020 by the glass — a price point that starts to feel aggressive unless the pour is generous. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority here; this feels like a list that was set and stays set.
Louis Latour Grand Ardèche Chardonnay 2020 — $25
This is a legitimately good Burgundy negociant Chardonnay — structured, food-friendly, and recognizably Old World — at a price that doesn't make you wince. In a sea of California Chards, it stands out and earns its spot.
Idlewild Flora & Fauna 2021
A field blend from the Sierra Foothills that has no business being on a list this mainstream — and yet here it is at $22. It's aromatic, textural, and interesting in ways the rest of the white selection simply isn't. Most people will order the Sauvignon Blanc. Don't be most people.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2020
At $52 a glass, you're paying bottle-price-plus for a pour that's undeniably a great wine but a terrible value proposition here. Buy the bottle somewhere else and save yourself the math.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling 2019 + Ask your server for the fish or lighter protein option
At $19 a glass, this Washington Riesling is crisp, off-dry enough to handle seasoning, and versatile enough to cut through butter or lift a delicate white fish. It's the kind of wine that makes whatever's on the plate taste better without demanding attention for itself.
The Bottom Line
Spencer is a reliable wine bar doing exactly what it sets out to do — give Ann Arbor diners a comfortable, recognizable list with enough options to make everyone at the table happy. Just watch the by-the-glass pricing on the upper end, and let the Idlewild be your little secret.
· Ann Arbor · French-Inspired
La Serre is a genuinely beautiful room with a wine list that's still finding its voice — solid enough for a date night, not yet a destination for anyone who really cares about what's in the glass. Come for the mussels and steak frites, drink something French, and hope the list grows into the space it inhabits.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ann Arbor · Wine Bar / New American
Vinology is doing something genuinely interesting for Ann Arbor — a globally curious, fairly priced wine list with real depth by the glass and producers you won't find at the Italian place down the street. We'd send a friend here specifically for wine, which is not something we say lightly.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown / Campus · Ann Arbor · New American / Hotel Restaurant
Eve is a dependable, well-kept hotel wine list that earns its place as Ann Arbor's go-to for faculty dinners and anniversary meals — just don't come expecting to be surprised. Order the Merry Edwards, skip the Stag's Leap markup, and let someone else handle the tab.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor · Upscale-casual Italian
Bravo! is a chain doing chain things with its wine list — predictable, approachable, and not particularly exciting. But the markup is fairer than most chains, the by-the-glass range is functional, and if you show up on a Wednesday, $7 Provençal rosé on the patio is a genuinely good time.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Ann Arbor · American Gastropub
The Ravens Club isn't a wine destination — it's a late-night Ann Arbor institution that happens to have a functional wine list. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Gruet for $6, and let the spirits program do its real job.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Ann Arbor · Japanese-inspired ramen, noodle dishes, and izakaya-style small plates
Slurping Turtle is a genuinely fun spot to eat, and the ramen deserves your full attention — but the wine list is on cruise control and nobody seems to mind. Stick to a glass of Riesling or grab a beer, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that reciprocates it.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Belmont Heights · Long Beach · New American / Wine Bar
Taste is doing something genuinely uncommon in Long Beach: a neighborhood wine bar with a Baja California identity, a sommelier who presumably knows why that matters, and a food menu built around dishes that actually want wine next to them. We'd send a friend here with one instruction — skip the menu and ask the staff what they're excited about right now.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Lincoln · New American / Wine Bar
Art & Soul is doing something that most restaurants in cities twice Lincoln's size wouldn't attempt: a by-the-glass program anchored by a 1975 Austrian white and a biodynamic Joly Chenin Blanc, at prices that don't make you wince. We don't have enough intel on the food menu or service to give this the full Rager treatment, but if you're in Lincoln and you care about wine, this is the room you want to be in.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlantic City · New American / Wine Bar
The Iron Room is the kind of wine-forward bar Atlantic City doesn't know it needs — cozy, staffed by people who care, and refreshingly serious about what's in the glass. If you're in AC and want something other than $14 Pinot Grigio at a casino bar, this is your move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Acceptable
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