California Chardonnay Country, Iowa Edition
Des Moines · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 14, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Splash Seafood Bar & Grill’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Splash reads like a California greatest hits album — familiar labels, seafood-friendly whites up front, and enough recognizable names to keep the table happy without anyone breaking a sweat. It's not trying to challenge you, and that's fine. In Des Moines, a 100-plus-bottle list anchored by legit producers is a genuine win.
California dominates from the first page to the last, with Chardonnay clearly running the show — Sonoma-Cutrer, Rombauer, Jordan, Cakebread, Far Niente, they're all here. The list earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and has held it since 2018, which speaks to consistency if not adventurousness. You won't find much outside the Golden State — no stray Burgundies, no Albariño sneaking in to make things interesting — but what's here is well-chosen and actually suits the menu. Pinot Noir gets a nod via Meiomi, and Duckhorn's Sauvignon Blanc covers the crisp-and-coastal angle nicely.
With 12-20 pours running $9-$16, the by-the-glass program is solid for a seafood spot of this size. You're not going to find esoteric options or rotating guest pours, but the range covers whites for the shellfish crowd and a red or two for the steak-adjacent table. At $16 a glass, you're not being gouged for a recognizable name.
Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc — $35
Duckhorn's Napa Sauvignon Blanc is genuinely good wine from a house that could coast on its Merlot reputation but doesn't. At the low end of this list's price range, it's the smart order for a table splitting oysters or ceviche.
Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay
Everyone reaches for Rombauer or Far Niente because the names are flashier, but Sonoma-Cutrer's Russian River Ranches bottling is consistently one of California's best-value serious Chardonnays — leaner, more precise, and better with actual food than the butter-bomb alternatives on this list.
Rombauer Chardonnay
Look, Rombauer is fine. But at restaurant markup it's almost always a bad deal — you're paying a premium for a label that's become a cultural shorthand rather than a wine worth seeking out. If you want something rich and oaky, Far Niente does it with more substance.
Jordan Chardonnay + Miso Salmon
Jordan's Alexander Valley Chardonnay has enough weight to stand up to the richness of miso glaze without overwhelming the fish. It's got a subtle creaminess that echoes the dish without turning the whole thing into a butter competition.
The Bottom Line
Splash isn't trying to reinvent wine in the Midwest — it's a polished, California-forward list that does exactly what it needs to do for a seafood restaurant with real ambitions. Send a friend here if they want a reliable bottle with their lobster mac; just don't send the natural wine obsessive.
Downtown Des Moines · Des Moines · American, Regional
Proudfoot & Bird is the kind of place where the room earns a star the wine list can't quite match — solid enough for a business dinner or a date night in a stunning space, but don't come expecting to find something you've never heard of. If you're in Des Moines and want a dependable glass in a beautiful room, it works.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Johnston · Des Moines · Wine bar / American
Louie's Johnston is exactly what a suburban wine bar should be — a big by-the-glass list, fair prices, and zero pretension. Send your friends here when they want to drink well without a side of attitude.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Clive · Des Moines · Steakhouse & American
Club Car is a reliable steakhouse wine list doing exactly what it was built to do: keep Cab drinkers happy and nobody walking out complaining. Don't come here for discovery, but don't leave without ordering the Jordan.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waukee · Des Moines · Japanese / Asian Fusion / Sushi
Wasabi Waukee is a genuinely good sushi restaurant that treats its wine list like an afterthought — familiar names, steep markups, and zero curiosity about what wines might actually sing alongside the food. Order the cocktails or sake instead, and save the wine discussion for somewhere that cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Ingersoll / Grand · Des Moines · Contemporary American
Louie's Wine Dive is the kind of place Des Moines needs more of — a real wine program in a no-pretense room, with Tuesday half-price deals that make experimenting genuinely low-stakes. It's not a destination list, but it's absolutely a destination night.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Clive · Des Moines · American, Brewpub
Granite City is a brewery that tolerates wine, and the list reflects that perfectly. Drink the beer — it's the whole point of being here.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · Seafood
Willi's is a wild card in the best sense — a casual Sonoma seafood bar running a wine list that belongs in a much more serious room. The by-the-glass depth alone is worth showing up for, and the pricing is honest by the region's standards. If you're anywhere near Healdsburg, order the Assyrtiko and thank us later.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Healdsburg · Seafood
The Marshall Store earns its reputation as a low-key, scenic spot for fresh West Coast oysters and smoked salmon — and if that's your mission, it delivers. But the wine program is effectively an afterthought: undocumented, uncurated, and not a reason to visit. Bring a bottle from one of the Healdsburg producers down the road, check the corkage policy at the door, and spend your energy on the food.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Healdsburg · Seafood
Nick's Cove earns a Wild Card badge because it's doing something specific and doing it with conviction: a seafood restaurant on the Sonoma Coast that built its list around sparkling wine and Chardonnay is a confident, logical bet. The markups get steep as you climb the ladder — Cristal at $750 and Dom Pérignon at $650 are priced for occasion, not for value — but there are real finds at the $80-$155 range if you know where to look. Come for the Failla, stay for the Radio-Coteau.
Small but Thoughtful
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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