Cheap Pours, Legit Thai, No Complaints
Lincoln Park · Duluth · Thai · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 12, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Thai by Thai’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Eight wines, all available by the glass, priced between $7 and $8 a pour — Thai by Thai is not trying to be a wine destination, and it knows it. What it is doing is keeping things cheap, approachable, and honest, which is more than you can say for plenty of spots with twice the bottle count. The list fits on a napkin, and at these prices, you're not going to stress about it.
This is an all-California lineup with zero pretense: Dark Horse, Mark West, McManis, Hess Select — these are grocery-store staples, not cellar finds. The eight labels cover the obvious bases (Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cab, Zinfandel) without any regional surprises or producer deep-cuts. There's no old world, no skin-contact curiosity, no esoteric Rhône blend hiding in the corner. What's here is exactly what a casual downtown Thai joint's clientele will recognize and order without blinking.
Every bottle on the list is also available by the glass, which keeps things simple and low-commitment. At $7–$8 a pour, this is some of the most affordable restaurant wine in Duluth, full stop. Don't expect rotation or discovery — these pours have probably been the same since opening day.
Kung Fu Girl Riesling — $27/bottle
Kung Fu Girl is a genuinely solid Washington Riesling that retails around $12–$14, and at $27 a bottle it's barely marked up at all. It's also the smartest match for spicy Thai food on this entire list — off-dry, bright with stone fruit and citrus, and built to take the heat out of a bowl of Drunken Noodles.
McManis Zinfandel
Nobody orders Zinfandel at a Thai restaurant, and that's exactly why you should consider it. McManis is a reliable, fruit-forward Zin that overdelivers for its price point, and at $29 a bottle it's a low-stakes way to go a little sideways from the usual Pinot Grigio crowd.
Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon
Hess Select Cab is a fine wine in the right context, but it's the wrong call here — big, tannic red wine and spicy Thai food fight each other, and there's no winning that battle. Order the Riesling and save yourself the trouble.
Kung Fu Girl Riesling + Drunken Noodle
The off-dry character of Kung Fu Girl gives you a touch of sweetness to soften the heat from the chilies, while the wine's acidity cuts through the savory, soy-forward sauce. It's the most food-friendly bottle on the list matched with the kitchen's most assertive dish — a genuinely good call.
The Bottom Line
Thai by Thai isn't here to impress a wine crowd, and that's completely fine — at $7 a glass and $27 a bottle, this is a no-stress, just-drink-something spot where the food is the reason you came anyway. Order the Kung Fu Girl Riesling, get the Drunken Noodle, and stop overthinking it.
· Duluth · Brewpub
Lake Superior Brewing has no business having a wine list this interesting, and we mean that as a full compliment. If you're in Duluth and you want to drink wine somewhere that actually thought about it, this brewpub is the surprising answer.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Duluth · Cocktail Bar
This is a cocktail bar that slipped a legitimately interesting nine-bottle wine list into the corner without making a big deal about it — and we respect the quiet confidence. Don't come here for a deep cellar experience, but do come here knowing you have real options beyond the well liquor.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Duluth · Italian
Va Bene is presumably doing something right in the kitchen, but the wine list is a two-item afterthought that tells you this place doesn't take wine seriously. Order a glass, enjoy your pasta, and don't expect anything more.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Duluth · European / Hotel Restaurant
Midi is doing more with 38 labels than most hotel restaurants do with 80. The aromatic white selection alone makes it worth a serious look, and the pricing won't leave you feeling robbed on the way out.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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
Downtown · Bend · Thai
A short, Northwest-leaning list at a Thai restaurant, with no prices posted. Start with the King Estate Pinot Gris or the Acrobat Rosé, both from Oregon, and ask your server what each costs and how it is served. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks page, not service, storage or markups.
· San Francisco · Thai
Nari is doing something genuinely strange and genuinely impressive — building a grower champagne program inside a Thai restaurant that would hold up against dedicated wine bars across the city. The markup is real and the list skews expensive, but if you care about this category of wine, there is no other Thai restaurant in San Francisco where you're having this conversation. Go in knowing what you want and what you're willing to spend.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Thai
Thai Harmony is genuinely worth visiting for the food — the khao soi and kai yang have real fans for a reason, and the downtown space is one of the better dining rooms in Winston-Salem. But come for the kitchen, not the cellar. Until the wine program shows us something specific worth recommending, you're better off ordering a Thai iced tea and saving the wine for another night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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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