California classics meet Southern comfort food
Downtown / Louisiana Street · McKinney · New American / Southern-inspired · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Sugarbacon Proper Kitchen’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Sugarbacon reads like a greatest hits album of California Cabernet — recognizable labels, zero surprises. It fits the room: a buzzy, modern-rustic downtown McKinney spot where the pork belly gets more attention than the Pinot Noir, and rightly so. But for a restaurant with real energy and good food, the wine program feels like it's running on autopilot.
Twenty labels deep and almost entirely California-centric, this list leans hard into Napa and Paso Robles Cabs with a few token gestures toward Sonoma. You've got your Caymus, your Prisoner, your Duckhorn Merlot — all the wines that sell themselves because guests already know the names. Flowers Pinot Noir from Sonoma Coast is genuinely the most interesting bottle on the list, and it sticks out like a good idea at a committee meeting. There are no white wines of note in the research data, no rosé to speak of, and nothing from Europe — which for a Southern-inspired kitchen serving smoked tomatoes and fried chicken, is a real missed opportunity.
Fourteen by-the-glass options is a solid count for a restaurant this size, and the range from $10 to $30 per glass gives people real room to choose. Liberty School Cab at $14 a glass is the obvious workhorse, while the Rombauer Zinfandel at $26 a glass tops out the premium tier. Rotation appears nonexistent — this list looks like it was set and hasn't moved since opening day.
Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles — $14/glass
At $14 a glass, Liberty School is the honest move — it's a well-made Paso Robles Cab with enough dark fruit and structure to hold up to anything on this menu without making you do mental math on your way out.
Flowers Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Every other bottle on this list is something your uncle has heard of. Flowers is the one wine here that requires actual intention to put on a menu — cool-climate Sonoma Coast Pinot with real elegance. Most people will scroll past it looking for a Cab, which means more for the rest of us.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
At $155 a bottle, you're paying a significant premium for a wine that retails around $80-$90 and has become one of the most mass-produced 'luxury' Cabs on the market. The name still commands the price tag, but the juice stopped earning it years ago.
Rombauer Zinfandel Napa Valley + Sugarbacon (pork belly with smoked tomatoes)
Rombauer Zin is bold, jammy, and built for smoke — exactly what you want next to pork belly and smoked tomatoes. The wine's ripe fruit and spice mirror the dish's richness without getting buried by it.
The Bottom Line
Sugarbacon is a genuinely fun place to eat, and the wine list won't ruin your night — but it won't add much to it either. Come for the food, order the Liberty School, and save the serious bottle shopping for somewhere else.
· McKinney · Southern American
Ida Claire isn't a wine destination, but it's a solid place to drink wine — especially if you time it for happy hour. Show up between 3 and 6, order the shrimp and grits, and let someone else worry about the cellar.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
· McKinney · Italian
Taverna Rossa's wine list gets the job done for a casual dinner out, but the markups on familiar bottles make it hard to recommend going beyond a glass or two. Stick with the Barbera or the Guigal and save the splurge for the food.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McKinney · Mexican
Mi Cocina McKinney put exactly zero thought into their wine program, and it shows in every predictable bottle on that nine-label list. Order a margarita and don't look back.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McKinney · Italian
Bravo! is a competent chain wine program — wide by-the-glass selection, a few Italian producers worth noting, and prices that are steep but not insulting. You're not coming here for the wine list, but you won't regret ordering either.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McKinney · Seafood & Steakhouse
Truluck's isn't a destination wine list, but the nightly happy hour deals and an actual sommelier on staff mean you can drink well here without too much pain — just lean on the bar specials and let the secret wine surprise you. Send a friend who cares more about stone crab than obscure growers, and they'll leave happy.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
· McKinney · Italian
Brio McKinney's wine list won't win any awards and the markup will sting if you reach for the California heavyweights, but there are a few genuinely Italian picks buried in there worth finding. Come for the food, order thoughtfully, and stick to the Old World side of the list.
Crowd Pleasers
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
