Solid pours for a lively college-town night out
College Area / Mount Royal · Duluth · American Gastropub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 12, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Tavern on the Hill’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Tavern on the Hill is exactly what you'd expect from a buzzy gastropub near UMD — short, approachable, and built for people who want a glass with their burger, not a dissertation. Ten labels, mostly California with a nod to Argentina, and nothing here is going to surprise you. But for Duluth, the prices are honest and the list does its job.
The list leans heavily on reliable, widely distributed labels: Frontera anchors the entry tier, Line 39 handles the crisp whites, and J Lohr and 1000 Stories carry the prestige end. There's a Trvento Malbec from Argentina that adds a welcome bit of geographic variety, and the Harken Chardonnay gives you a buttery California option beyond the Frontera baseline. What's missing is anything adventurous — no Rhône, no Spanish, no natural or minimal-intervention options — but this is a tacos-and-cheese-curds crowd, not a wine bar clientele, so the list fits the room. The gaps don't hurt; the lack of ambition is just noted.
Eight of the ten bottles pour by the glass, which is a high conversion rate and genuinely useful for a group with mixed preferences. The range runs from Oliver Moscato for the sweet-wine crowd through to 1000 Stories Pinot Noir for anyone wanting something with a little more weight. Prices top out at $10, which is refreshingly sane for 2024.
Trvento Malbec — $8/glass, $32/bottle
Trvento is a solid Mendoza producer owned by Navarro Correas, and this pours at a price that doesn't make you wince. At $32 a bottle you're getting a ripe, food-friendly red that holds its own next to the steak bites or an Angus burger — a better deal than anything at the $40 ceiling.
1000 Stories Pinot Noir
Most people at a gastropub skip right past Pinot Noir, but 1000 Stories makes a bourbon barrel-aged version that's genuinely interesting — smoky, dark-fruited, and a step above what the $10 price tag implies. It's the most characterful pour on the list and almost nobody orders it.
Frontera Chardonnay
Frontera is a Concha y Toro workhorse that retails for around $6 a bottle — at $7.75 a glass the markup math is uncomfortable. It's not a bad wine, it's just a thin value proposition when the Harken Chardonnay is sitting right next to it for a dollar more and drinks considerably better.
1000 Stories Pinot Noir + Tavern Steak Bites
The bourbon barrel aging on this Pinot brings a warm, smoky backbone that echoes the char on the steak bites without steamrolling the meat. It's lighter than a Cab but has enough structure to handle the fat — a better call than defaulting to the J Lohr.
Happy Hour — $1 off wine during happy hour promotion
✔️ The Bottom Line
Tavern on the Hill is not a destination wine spot, but it's a fair, unpretentious list that earns its keep in a fun room. If you're in the neighborhood and want a decent glass with your pizza, you won't leave disappointed — just don't come in expecting anything beyond the basics.
Downtown · Duluth · Italian-American and Pizza
Sammy's is a Duluth institution and the pizza earns its reputation — the wine list is just not the point, and the restaurant isn't pretending otherwise. Order a beer or grab the cheapest glass pour, eat the pizza, and be happy.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Canal Park · Duluth · American, Bar, Pizza
Old Chicago Duluth isn't a wine destination and doesn't pretend to be — it's a reliable fallback for the table member who wants a glass of something decent while everyone else works through the tap list. If you stick to the Ste. Michelle Riesling, you'll leave satisfied; just don't come here expecting anything that will make you put down your pizza.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Duluth · Duluth · American, bar & grill
Grandma's Saloon is a genuinely fun West Duluth institution, but the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved knows it. Order a local beer, enjoy the ribs, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that shares it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Miller Hill · Duluth · American, bar & grill
Grandma's Miller Hill is a beloved Duluth institution, but the wine list has never been the reason to show up — and with the location closing in May 2026, it's not getting better. Order a beer, enjoy the nostalgia, and save the wine for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Miller Hill · Duluth · Casual American steakhouse with Australian-themed branding
Outback Duluth is a perfectly fine place to eat a steak; it is not a place to think about wine. Order the Alamos Malbec, enjoy your sirloin, and save the wine exploration for somewhere that's doing the work.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Fitger's / Waterfront · Duluth · Upscale American
Boat Club is a reliable wine room for Duluth — a sommelier on staff, a genuinely broad glass pour program, and a Monday half-price bottle deal that should be on every local's calendar. The markups keep it from being a Rager, but if you play the specials and lean into the European selections, you'll drink well with a great view.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Downtown Livermore · Livermore · American Gastropub
Beer Baron isn't trying to be a wine destination and it doesn't pretend to be — but the list is priced fairly, skewed toward decent producers, and has just enough personality to keep wine drinkers from ordering a beer instead. Send a friend here for wine? Sure, if they're also ordering food and keeping their expectations calibrated to the room.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown · Flagstaff · American Gastropub
The McMillan is a genuinely fun bar in a beautiful old building, and the cocktail program is probably where your money should go. If wine is your thing, this list will not be your night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Town Temecula · Temecula · American Gastropub
Crush & Brew is the right move if you want to drink local without doing a formal winery crawl — the list is honest, the prices don't insult you, and the setting makes a glass of Temecula Valley red feel earned. Don't come looking for Burgundy; do come knowing exactly where your wine grew up.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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