Minneapolis Finally Has a Serious Wine Room
North Loop · Minneapolis · Seasonal Midwestern cuisine with French influence · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Spoon and Stable lands with the kind of weight you feel before you've even read a label — this is a program someone genuinely cares about. It's organized with intention, heavy on France, and peppered with just enough left-field picks to signal that the person building this list isn't just ticking boxes. You're in a converted horse stable in the North Loop, and somehow it has one of the most considered wine programs in the Twin Cities.
France is the backbone here — Burgundy, Alsace, Beaujolais, and the Rhône all show up with real depth, not just the usual suspects. The Alsace section alone earns respect, with Domaines Schlumberger's Riesling Les Princes Abbés representing a category most Minneapolis lists ignore entirely. Italy gets its due too: Ar.Pe.Pe.'s Rosso di Valtellina is the kind of inclusion that tells you the buyer has actually done their homework beyond Barolo and Chianti. California and Spain round things out, with producers like Ridge Vineyards Geyserville, Lieu Dit Cabernet Franc, and the Raül Pérez Ultreia Godello from Bierzo adding genuine range. The Cruse Wine Co. 'Monkey Jacket' Red Blend — a Valdiguié, Carignan, and Tannat field blend from the North Coast — is a fun outlier that keeps the list from feeling too buttoned-up.
The by-the-glass program runs 10 or more options spanning $19–$37, which is a solid range for a fine dining room at this level. Rotation appears intentional rather than accidental — the list reflects the same Old World lean as the bottles, so you're not stuck choosing between a grocery store Chardonnay and a grocery store Cab. We'd love to see a more aggressive BTG rotation or a dedicated half-bottle program, but what's here is respectable.
López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja 2011 — $185
At roughly 2x retail on a wine that retails around $90, this is the closest thing to a fair deal on the list — and it's López de Heredia, which means you're getting a brick-aged, oxidative Rioja Reserva that drinks like a memory. For a wine of this pedigree and age in a fine dining room, $185 is actually a reasonable ask.
Cruse Wine Co. 'Monkey Jacket' Red Blend, North Coast, California
Most tables are going to walk right past a Valdiguié-Carignan-Tannat field blend and order something they recognize. Don't. Cruse is one of California's most exciting producers working with old-vine, low-intervention fruit, and this bottle is built for a table of food. It's the kind of pick that makes you look smart without trying.
Château de Pizay Morgon 2021
A 239% markup on a $23 retail bottle of Morgon is a hard sell, even if the wine is pleasant. Beaujolais is supposed to be the approachable, honest section of the list — this one is priced like it's doing you a favor. Pass and put that money toward the Tondonia.
Ar.Pe.Pe. Rosso di Valtellina 2020 + Bison Tartare
Valtellina Nebbiolo is all iron, dried roses, and mountain tension — it has the structure to stand up to raw bison without steamrolling it. The wine's bright acidity and earthy grip work with the richness of the tartare in a way that a heavier red simply wouldn't.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Spoon and Stable is the best wine list in Minneapolis that most people are too distracted by the roasted chicken to fully explore — the markups aren't gentle, but the depth, the staff knowledge, and the sheer ambition of the program earn it. Yes, send a friend here for wine.
North Loop / Warehouse District · Minneapolis · Modern Argentinian Steakhouse
Porzana punches above its class for a Minneapolis steakhouse — the Italian and Argentine selections show genuine curation, and the Fenocchio Barolo alone justifies a serious wine order. Just go in with eyes open on markups and skip the entry-level bottles unless you're pouring by the glass.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lowry Hill · Minneapolis · Steakhouse and Wood-Fired Pizza
Burch has the bones of a genuinely great wine program — knowledgeable staff, proper storage, and a list that respects the classics — but the pricing strategy on the mid-tier and entry-level bottles will test your patience. Go big or go home: the value-to-quality ratio only really clicks once you're spending $200+.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown / North Loop · Minneapolis · New American / Contemporary American
112 Eatery's wine list is punching well above its weight for a Minneapolis neighborhood bistro, with a genuinely distinctive Old World focus and producers that belong on serious lists anywhere in the country. The markups sting on a few bottles, but the curation earns enough goodwill to keep us coming back.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Uptown · Minneapolis · French Bistro
Barbette is a wine list built by someone who actually drinks wine and wants you to as well — it's small, French, and surprisingly legit for a neighborhood bistro in Uptown. If you're a natural wine fan or just someone who wants good Beaujolais with steak frites, send your friends here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Loring Park · Minneapolis · New American
Cafe Lurcat is a reliable, well-staffed wine program in one of Minneapolis's prettiest dining rooms — just know you're paying a premium for the address and the ambiance. Ask the sommelier for help navigating the list and you'll drink well; go on autopilot and order the obvious Napa Cab and you'll leave having spent more than you should have.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Southwest Minneapolis (Fulton) · Minneapolis · Italian, fresh housemade pasta
Broders' Pasta Bar isn't a wine destination, but it's exactly the kind of neighborhood spot that gets the wine list right by staying in its lane. Fair prices, Italian focus, solid glass pours — bring a friend who orders by the bottle and you're in good shape.
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.