Roanoke's quiet overachiever, glass by glass
· Roanoke · Fine Dining / New American · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed September 3, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Table 50’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list at Table 50 opens with a sense of purpose — 68 labels isn't enormous, but it's not trying to be. What catches your eye immediately is the by-the-glass program: 15 options spanning reds, whites, sparkling, and even fortified wines, all priced between $8 and $13. For a fine dining room in Roanoke, that's a genuinely thoughtful spread.
The bottle list covers a respectable amount of ground — California cabs, Argentine Malbec, a Spanish Castilla y León red, a Côtes du Rhône, and a South African Chenin Blanc all share real estate here. It's not a deep cellar, but it's curated with more intention than most rooms at this price point. The fortified wine section is the sleeper — Alvear Pedro Ximénez Solera 1927, Marques de Poley Oloroso Sherry, and Warre's Warrior Ruby Porto give the list genuine character that you wouldn't expect in a mid-size Virginia city. Gaps exist in natural wine and old-world depth, but the bones are solid.
Fifteen pours by the glass is an above-average offering, and the price ceiling of $13 (for the Twenty Bench Cab) keeps things accessible. The range hits whites, reds, rosé, sparkling, and even a Tawny Port, which means you can drink your way through the whole meal without touching a bottle. Rotation doesn't appear to be active — this reads more like a fixed program — but the selections are diverse enough that you won't feel stuck.
Fair Valley Chenin Blanc Western Cape 2022 — $9/glass
South African Chenin Blanc at $9 a glass is one of wine's great value propositions anywhere. Fair Valley delivers texture and energy at a price that feels almost accidental — this should be on every table.
Alvear Pedro Ximenez Solera 1927
Most diners will scroll right past this $50 bottle of PX Sherry without a second glance. That's a mistake. A solera started in 1927 means this wine has been evolving for nearly a century — concentrated, raisined, and unlike anything else on the list. Order it with dessert and thank us later.
Poquito Moscato Valencia
At $16 a bottle it's not a rip-off, but it's the list's least interesting corner. If you want something sweet and low-stakes, the Sourgal Moscato d'Asti at $18 has actual complexity and fizz to back it up. Skip the Valencia.
Quinta Sardonia Sardon Castilla Y Leon 2022 + Chef's featured meat dish
Castilla y León reds are built for roasted and braised proteins — structured tannins, dark fruit, earthy backbone. At $12 a glass, the Quinta Sardonia is the most serious red on the by-the-glass list and deserves to be matched with something equally substantial off the menu.
The Bottom Line
Table 50 does more with 68 labels than most fine dining rooms do with twice as many — the fortified wine section alone earns it a second look. If you're eating in Roanoke and care about what's in your glass, this is where you go.
· Roanoke · Wine Bar / Small Plates
Stave & Cork earns a Wild Card for being a genuinely unpretentious wine bar in a part of Virginia that doesn't have many of them, with a smart regional lean toward Virginia producers and a room that makes you want to stay for one more glass. We'd love to come back with a full menu and list in hand — until then, go in open-minded, ask the staff what's pouring, and start with the charcuterie board.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Roanoke · Wine Shop / Wine Bar
The Jolly Grape has a brand that promises more than five bottles, three of which are the same grape from the same region. Until the list grows up to match the name, order the Peyrassol and call it a night.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Roanoke · Seasonal Small Plates / Wine Bar
Bloom is a genuinely wine-forward neighborhood spot in a city that doesn't have many of them — that alone earns it some goodwill. We'd want more list transparency before calling it a destination, but it's an easy yes for a date night in Roanoke.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Roanoke · American / Deli & Grill
Montano's wine list is inoffensive, modestly priced, and almost entirely forgettable — a functional afterthought at a spot where food and atmosphere are clearly the point. If you need wine, the Albariño is your move; otherwise, this is a beer-and-cocktails kind of place.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Roanoke · Roanoke · Cocktail Bar with Neapolitan-style Pizza
Stellina is a cocktail bar that happens to have a thoughtful four-bottle wine list, which is more than most cocktail bars can say. If you're there for the vibe and the pizza, the wine program will take care of you just fine — don't show up expecting a deep cellar.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hollins / North Roanoke · Roanoke · Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi
Tokyo is a hibachi restaurant that happens to have wine, not the other way around — and that's fine, but don't make the wine the reason you come. Stick to the sake options, keep your glass price low, and enjoy the show.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport · Fine Dining / New American
Castle Hill's wine list is a quiet overachiever in a setting that could easily get away with doing far less. The by-the-glass depth is real, the format variety is a genuine bonus, and the Lustau Fino alone justifies scanning the list carefully. Prices trend steep as you'd expect from a waterfront inn, but the curation earns some goodwill — just don't autopilot to the Cabernet.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Monterey · Fine Dining / New American
Foray's wine list is the rare kind that rewards the curious and doesn't punish the budget-conscious — a Picpoul at $15 and Krug at $195 can coexist on the same list without the whole thing feeling schizophrenic. The eclectic regional reach, fair markups, and genuinely unusual picks like the Armenian Yacoubian-Hobbs earn this a Wild Card badge: it's not the deepest list on the Central Coast, but it's easily the most interesting one in Monterey. If you care about what's in your glass, this is the right room.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Proper
· Medford · Fine Dining / New American
Alchemy is doing something genuinely interesting in Southern Oregon — a sparkling-centric wine program with real depth and fair pricing that you wouldn't necessarily expect to find in Medford. If bubbles are your language, this list is worth the trip.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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