Warm Houston Bistro That Gets Wine Right
Houston · American · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed State of Grace’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
State of Grace hands you a list that feels like it was built by someone who actually drinks wine — not a committee trying to impress. The California-France-Italy trifecta is well-trodden territory, but the execution here earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence (held since 2016). Nothing flashy, but everything in its right place.
The 150-to-250-bottle list leans hard on California and the classic French and Italian benchmarks, and that focus shows — the hits are genuinely good ones. You've got Ridge Monte Bello sitting alongside Antinori Tignanello, which tells you someone with taste is doing the buying. Louis Jadot covers the Burgundy bases for the France corner, and the Italian and domestic sections feel cohesive rather than just random imports. The gaps show up in the Southern Hemisphere and anything remotely natural or off-the-beaten-path, so don't come here looking for orange wine or a Jura deep cut.
Twenty-plus glass pours across a $12–$22 range gives you real options without requiring a bottle commitment — that's a legitimately solid program for a Houston neighborhood bistro. The Kistler Chardonnay and Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir appearing in the glass lineup (if available) would make this one of the stronger by-the-glass programs in the area. Rotation frequency isn't confirmed, but with a sommelier on staff in Nick Gomez, there's someone accountable for keeping it relevant.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $12
At the low end of the glass range, this is a sharp, food-friendly pour that most tables overlook in favor of a Chardonnay. Ste. Michelle's Riesling punches well above its price point and works across half the menu.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir
Most guests here are gravitating toward the Caymus or the Kistler, but the Drouhin Oregon is the quietly confident choice — Old World sensibility grown in the Willamette Valley. It's the wine that makes you look like you know something the table doesn't.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is a perfectly fine wine, but it's one of the most aggressively marked-up bottles in American restaurants and you can find it anywhere. With Ridge Monte Bello on the same list, ordering Caymus is leaving money and experience on the table.
Antinori Tignanello + Grilled Steak
Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend has the structure and dark fruit to stand up to a properly grilled steak without steamrolling it — the acidity cuts fat, the tannins grip the char. It's the kind of pairing that makes the meal feel like a decision you planned.
The Bottom Line
State of Grace is a reliable, well-run wine program anchored by a knowledgeable sommelier and a list that respects both the food and the guest's wallet. If you want a neighborhood spot in Houston where the wine won't let you down, this is a safe and satisfying call.
Houston · Houston · Steakhouse
Doris Metropolitan's wine list is quietly one of the more interesting steakhouse lists in Houston — fair pricing, a globe-trotting selection with actual personality, and a dessert wine program that embarrasses most dedicated wine bars. We'd send a friend here with confidence.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Houston · Restaurant
Bar Bludorn is exactly the kind of wine program Houston needs more of — thoughtful, fairly priced, and deep enough by the glass that you can actually explore without buying a bottle. It's not a destination wine list, but it's a genuinely good one, and we'd send a friend here without hesitation.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Houston · Steakhouse
Perry's is a reliable steakhouse wine list — nothing that'll make you rethink your palate, but enough to drink well with red meat if you know where to look. The fortified and dessert wine section is genuinely worth your attention; the rest is competent but forgettable.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Montrose · Houston · French
The Marigold Club is Houston's most interesting new wine room for anyone who thinks Champagne is a food group and France is the only country that matters — in the best possible way. Go on a Sunday, order the Delamotte, eat the Duck Wellington, and tip generously.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Houston · Houston · American, Italian
Milton's is the kind of neighborhood trattoria that surprises you — the room says casual pasta night, the wine list quietly whispers Biondi-Santi. If you care about Italian wine and you're in Houston, it's worth a reservation just to explore the bottle list.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Montrose · Houston · Italian
Marmo is hiding a legitimately serious Italian wine program behind a piano bar and a plate of hand-rolled pasta — and that's exactly what makes it worth seeking out. Send a friend here if they think Houston Italian restaurants don't take wine seriously; this list will change their mind.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Bellevue · American
13 Coins Bellevue earns its Wild Card badge by being a late-night diner that actually cares enough about wine to stock a geographically diverse list — not groundbreaking, but genuinely unexpected for the format. If Sunday happy hour is your move, this place becomes a legitimately fun spot to drink Washington wine over a Caesar salad at 11pm, which is a sentence we didn't think we'd be writing.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Newport News · American
Cheddar's is a casual comfort-food chain, and the wine list reflects exactly that level of ambition — none. Order a beer or a cocktail and save the wine conversation for somewhere that wants to have it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Union Square · San Francisco · American
The Rotunda is a lunch experience first and a wine destination a distant second — the list is safe, the markup is real, and you're largely paying for the address and the atmosphere. Come for the crab salad and the occasion, order something bubbly, and don't go in expecting a serious wine program.
Plays It Safe
Steep
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.
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