Cumming's Crowd-Pleaser With a Decent Cellar
· Cumming, GA · New American/Southern · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed October 29, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Tam's BackStage’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Thirty-nine labels isn't a lot, but Tam's BackStage keeps things organized and approachable — this is a list built for people who want a good glass with dinner, not a deep-dive into Burgundy village appellations. The price ceiling tops out at $180, but most of the action lives in the $25–$55 range, which feels right for Cumming. Nothing here will shock you, and that's kind of the point.
The list leans heavily on well-known California and New Zealand names — J. Lohr, Kendall Jackson, Whitehaven, Meiomi — with a nod to Italy through Fontana Candida, Banfi, and Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio. There's a Reserve section anchored by Jordan Chardonnay at $55, which is the most interesting bottle on the list by a fair margin. Red wine depth is the weakest link: three Pinot Noirs, a Merlot, and two red blends don't give much to work with if you're looking beyond the obvious. Sparkling gets a quick nod with Korbel Brut and Maschio Prosecco, which covers the celebration crowd without any real ambition.
Twenty-five by-the-glass options on a 39-label list is a genuinely strong ratio — nearly the whole list is available by the pour, which makes exploration easy and commitment unnecessary. Pours run $7–$12, and the spread is honest: you're not getting a watered-down selection just because you didn't order a bottle. The $12 ceiling on Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc and Meiomi Pinot Noir keeps things accessible without giving away the kitchen.
The Bottom Line
Tam's BackStage is doing exactly what a neighborhood restaurant wine list should do: keep it accessible, keep the markup fair, and make sure almost everything is available by the glass. It's not going to win any awards for adventurousness, but the Crossings at $9 a pour and Centine at $39 a bottle give you genuine value in a list that could have coasted on Canyon Road alone. Send a friend here when they want a solid glass without a lesson.
39 wines captured from the source list, including wines not yet matched to our catalog. Availability, vintages, and prices can change. View source wine list.
ROSÉ FLEURS DE PRARIE, Provence - Glass 10, Bottle 35
White Wine
$10.00 / glass · $35.00 / bottle
MOSCATO, CANYON ROAD, California - Glass 7, Bottle 25
White Wine
$7.00 / glass · $25.00 / bottle
RIESLING, STARLING, Germany - Glass 8, Bottle 27
White Wine
$8.00 / glass · $27.00 / bottle
SAUVIGNON BLANC, WHITEHAVEN, Marlborough - Glass 12, Bottle 40
White Wine
$12.00 / glass · $40.00 / bottle
SAUVIGNON BLANC, THE CROSSINGS, New Zealand - Glass 9, Bottle 32
White Wine
$9.00 / glass · $32.00 / bottle
PINOT GRIGIO, FONTANA CANDIDA, Venice - Glass 8, Bottle 27
White Wine
$8.00 / glass · $27.00 / bottle
PINOT GRIGIO, BANFI, Valdadige - Glass 9, Bottle 30
White Wine
$9.00 / glass · $30.00 / bottle
PINOT GRIGIO, SANTA MARGHERITA, Italy - Bottle 50
White Wine
$50.00 / bottle
CHARDONNAY, J. LOHR 'RIVERSTONE', Arroyo Seco - Glass 10, Bottle 35
White Wine
$10.00 / glass · $35.00 / bottle
CHARDONNAY, KENDALL JACKSON, California - Glass 11, Bottle 38
White Wine
$11.00 / glass · $38.00 / bottle
CHARDONNAY FREI BROTHERS, Russian River Valley - Glass 11, Bottle 39
White Wine
$11.00 / glass · $39.00 / bottle
CHARDONNAY, JORDAN, Russian River Valley - Bottle 55
White Wine
$55.00 / bottle
KORBEL BRUT, California - Glass 8, Bottle 28
Sparklers
$8.00 / glass · $28.00 / bottle
MASCHIO PROSECCO, Italy - Glass 9, Bottle 33
Sparklers
$9.00 / glass · $33.00 / bottle
PINOT NOIR, DIORA, Monterey - Glass 11, Bottle 39
Red Wine
$11.00 / glass · $39.00 / bottle
PINOT NOIR, J. LOHR, Monterey - Glass 11, Bottle 39
Red Wine
$11.00 / glass · $39.00 / bottle
PINOT NOIR, MEIOMI, California - Glass 12, Bottle 40
Red Wine
$12.00 / glass · $40.00 / bottle
RED BLEND, CENTINE, Tuscany - Glass 11, Bottle 39
Red Wine
$11.00 / glass · $39.00 / bottle
RED BLEND, CONUNDRUM, California - Glass 11, Bottle 39
Red Wine
$11.00 / glass · $39.00 / bottle
MERLOT, WILLIAM HILL, Washington - Glass 10, Bottle 35
Red Wine
$10.00 / glass · $35.00 / bottle
MERLOT, FREI BROTHERS, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma - Glass 12, Bottle 40
Red Wine
$12.00 / glass · $40.00 / bottle
MALBEC, ALAMOS, Mendoza - Glass 9, Bottle 32
Red Wine
$9.00 / glass · $32.00 / bottle
ZINFANDEL, PREDATOR, Lodi - Glass 11, Bottle 39
Red Wine
$11.00 / glass · $39.00 / bottle
CABERNET SAUVIGNON, BONANZA 'CAYMUS VINEYARDS', California - Glass 11, Bottle 39
Red Wine
$11.00 / glass · $39.00 / bottle
CABERNET SAUVIGNON, RODNEY STRONG, California - Glass 12, Bottle 40
Red Wine
$12.00 / glass · $40.00 / bottle
CABERNET SAUVIGNON, J. LOHR 'SEVEN OAKS', Paso Robles - Glass 11, Bottle 39
Red Wine
$11.00 / glass · $39.00 / bottle
CHIANTI RESERVA, ROCCA DELLA MACIE, Italy - Glass 12, Bottle 40
Red Wine
$12.00 / glass · $40.00 / bottle
FLOWERS PINOT NOIR, Sonoma, California - Bottle 90
Reserve Wines
$90.00 / bottle
BELLE GLOS DAIRYMAN PINOT NOIR, Sonoma, California - Bottle 85
Reserve Wines
$85.00 / bottle
FREEMARK ABBEY MERLOT, Napa Valley, California - Bottle 70
Reserve Wines
$70.00 / bottle
DUCKHORN MERLOT, Napa Valley, California - Bottle 130
Reserve Wines
$130.00 / bottle
CAYMUS CABERNET, Napa Valley, California - 90 375mL / 180 750mL
Reserve Wines
$180.00 / bottle
SYMMETRY RED BLEND, Alexander Valley, California - Bottle 85
Reserve Wines
$85.00 / bottle
STERLING CABERNET, Napa Valley, California - Bottle 50
Reserve Wines
$50.00 / bottle
FAUST CABERNET, Napa Valley, California - Bottle 110
Reserve Wines
$110.00 / bottle
JORDAN CABERNET, Alexander Valley, California - Bottle 110
Reserve Wines
$110.00 / bottle
SILVER OAK CABERNET, Alexander Valley, California - Bottle 180
Reserve Wines
$180.00 / bottle
BANFI CHIANTI, Italy - Bottle 60
Reserve Wines
$60.00 / bottle
RUFFINO CHIANTI, Italy - Bottle 110
Reserve Wines
$110.00 / bottle
· Cumming, GA · Steakhouse
The Ridge is a solid night out if you're in Forsyth County and want a steak with a side of live music and forest air — the wine program just isn't the reason to come. Until the list is published and verifiable, order something bold and red, enjoy your filet, and let the scenery do the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Cumming, GA · Mediterranean
Santa Maria is a genuine surprise for Cumming — a 26-bottle list that manages to be both approachable and quietly adventurous, with fair pricing and some real personality in the whites. We don't have enough intel on the staff or the floor experience to call it a Rager, but the wine program itself earns a Wild Card: it's doing things you wouldn't expect, and that's worth showing up for.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Cumming, GA · American
The real headline here is Friday: half-price bottles under $250, which is a legitimately good deal in any zip code. Add a sommelier in a neighborhood grill context and Tin Cup earns a look that most Cumming restaurants don't. We'd go in on a Friday, ask for a recommendation, and let the staff do their job — that's what they're there for.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Acceptable
· Cumming, GA · German and European
Gasthaus Tirol isn't a wine bar, and nobody's driving from Atlanta for the list — but for a German restaurant in suburban Cumming, the wine program is legitimately thoughtful in spots. Fair prices across the board, every bottle available by the glass, and a handful of German-specific picks that actually match the menu make this a solid call if you're already there for the schnitzel. Order the Malbec or explore the Dornfelder and you'll leave happy.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Cumming, GA · Italian
GrapeVine's Casual Italian is a solid neighborhood spot where the wine list won't blow your mind but also won't insult your wallet. If the Abruzzo regional thread holds up on the actual menu, there's a decent, food-friendly red waiting for you alongside the Baked Ziti or Chicken Pamplona. Check the menu directly before you go — this one earns its Reliable badge by doing the basics right.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Cumming, GA · Steakhouse and Seafood
Meadow Grill is doing something genuinely unusual for suburban North Georgia: building a wine list that would turn heads in the city. The whites are the star — Burgundy, Loire, Austria, Alsace, and two Chateauneuf Blancs under one roof — at prices that don't feel punitive. We'd send a wine-curious friend here without hesitation, with the caveat that the red program likely needs the same attention the whites have already received.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · New American/Southern
Roshambo isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's putting in real effort — fair markups, a deep by-the-glass program, and a few genuinely interesting bottles mixed in with the crowd-pleasers. If you're eating here, skip the Moët, pour the Keplinger, and thank whoever curated the whites. A solid, trustworthy list that earns a return visit.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Atlanta · Atlanta · New American/Southern
Glenn's Kitchen is a hotel bar wine list doing exactly what hotel bar wine lists do — keeping guests comfortable and margins healthy. The Luigi Pira Nebbiolo is a genuine bright spot worth seeking out, but this isn't a destination for wine. If you're staying at The Glenn or grabbing dinner nearby, you won't suffer — just go in with expectations set accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Acworth · New American/Southern
1885 Grill Acworth plays it safe and mostly gets away with it — fair pricing on a short, approachable list that will keep the table happy without making anyone think too hard. If you're after a serious wine experience, keep driving; if you just want a solid glass with dinner in the suburbs, you'll leave without complaints.
Crowd Pleasers
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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