Boston's sherry obsession hiding in plain sight
Brookline · Boston · Spanish · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed March 23, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Taberna de Haro’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You're looking at a 300-label list anchored by over 90 sherries at a neighborhood Spanish spot in Brookline — that alone should stop you mid-scroll. This isn't a wine bar trying to be clever; it's a restaurant that genuinely knows what it's doing and leans hard into a single region with real conviction. The price range ($30–$150 bottles) keeps things accessible without dumbing down the selection.
The list is Spain top to bottom, and that's not a limitation — it's a thesis statement. While most Boston restaurants treat Spanish wine as a footnote between the Italian and French sections, Taberna de Haro has built something serious: over 300 labels with the sherry program as the undisputed centerpiece. Producers like Lustau, La Cigarrera, and Cruz del Mar anchor the by-the-glass fortified options, and the depth across Manzanilla, Fino, and Amontillado styles suggests someone is paying close attention to inventory. If you came here for Cabernet, you're at the wrong restaurant — and honestly, that's fine.
Fifteen sherry options by the glass is not a typo, and it's not a gimmick either. Ranging from $9 to $18 a pour, the BTG program covers serious stylistic ground — bone-dry Fino and Manzanilla on one end, richer Amontillado on the other. Rotation data isn't available, but with a sommelier on staff and a program this specialized, you'd expect someone to be keeping things fresh.
Olivares Monastrell — $14
Retails around $12 and pours for $14 a glass — that's practically cost pricing by restaurant standards. You're getting a juicy, dark-fruited Spanish red for the price of a beer at most Boston spots.
Manzanilla La Cigarrera
Most tables walk right past the sherry section and miss this entirely. La Cigarrera's Manzanilla is bracingly dry, saline, and electric — the kind of wine that makes you rethink everything you thought you knew about sherry. Order it cold and don't overthink it.
Lustau Sherry Cocktails
If you're sitting on top of one of the best straight sherry programs in New England, ordering a sherry cocktail feels like asking a sushi chef for a California roll. The real Lustau bottles are right there on the list — go straight to the source.
Fino Cruz del Mar + Gambas al Ajillo
High-acid, bone-dry Fino cuts right through the garlic-loaded olive oil and lifts the sweetness of the shrimp without competing with it. This is the pairing the list was basically built around.
The Bottom Line
Taberna de Haro is the best sherry program in Boston and it's sitting quietly on Beacon Street like it's not a big deal. If you eat here and order a domestic Chardonnay, we can't help you.
· Boston · Steakhouse
The Palm Boston's wine list reads like someone handed a natural wine buyer a steakhouse budget and said 'do something interesting' — and they did, with six well-chosen bottles at prices that won't wreck your evening. It's too small to call it a destination for wine, but it's too good to ignore if you're already here for dinner. Ask about what's available by the glass and go straight for the Crochet Sancerre.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Seaport · Boston · Upscale American Steakhouse
Eddie Merlot's is a reliable date-night or business-dinner destination in the Seaport, and the wine program is functional enough to get the job done — but markup at this category of steakhouse tends to run steep, and the list probably isn't going to surprise you. If you're here for the Prime ribeye, order a glass of whatever Cab is open and don't overthink it; if you're here specifically to drink well, we'd want to see the actual list before making promises.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Back Bay · Boston · Contemporary American with International Influences
Ramsay's Kitchen is a reliable wine stop in the sense that you won't be embarrassed — the sommelier is there, the glassware is fine, and the list covers the bases. But at Back Bay price points with a celebrity premium baked in, you're paying for the room as much as the bottle. Go in with a food-first mindset, lean on the sommelier for guidance, and temper expectations on getting a steal.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North End · Boston · Italian, Steakhouse
A broad list with 29 glass pours, Italian and American bottle sections, and a From the Vault section that goes well into four figures. Start with the 2021 Mauro Molino Barolo at $26 a glass or the Batasiolo Gavi di Gavi at $15, and confirm vintages, since the list says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Back Bay · Boston · Seafood
A 12-page wine book that runs from $12 glasses to a $945 Opus One, with six- and nine-ounce pours for the still wines by the glass. Start with the $12 six-ounce Foral Alvarinho, or order the $59 Sur Lie Muscadet by the bottle, and confirm vintages before you go. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Back Bay · Boston · Contemporary Italian
An Italian-led list with bottles into the thousands and a glass page that gives you a way in. Order the $33 Giacosa Fratelli Barolo 2019 by the glass, or step up to a Coravin pour like the $54 Patrizia Cencioni Brunello di Montalcino 2018, and confirm prices before you go. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
King · Portland · Spanish
A Spanish tapas-bar wine page with glass and bottle prices from 13/50 and a ten-sherry list. Start with the Pago del Cielo Celeste Verdejo at 13 a glass, try the chilled Vara y Pulgar Tintilla at 17 if you want something different, and order the Miquel Pons Cava with the croquetas. The page says the posted menu may differ from the restaurant's, so confirm prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Washington · Washington · Spanish
A glass-focused, Spain-leaning wine menu with a full sherry section and no bottle list posted. Start with the $17 Valtravieso Crianza or the $25 La Vizcaína Mencía, and order the $12 Manzanilla Fina with the jamón if you want to see how the sherry list works. Confirm prices, since the menu is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
Atlanta · Atlanta · Spanish
Buena Vida doesn't have the deepest list in Atlanta, but they've done real work curating twenty bottles that actually match the food and the spirit of the place — and with 18 pours available by the glass at fair prices, it's one of the more inviting wine setups on the tapas scene. Send your friends here.
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.
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