The 1770 House Restaurant & Inn
Historic Hampton Charm, California-Forward Wine List
East Hampton · East Hampton · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 18, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walking into a 250-year-old candlelit inn and opening a wine list is a certain kind of experience — and The 1770 House leans into it hard. The list reads like a greatest hits of Napa and Bordeaux, which is exactly what you'd expect from a place that's held a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2007. It's curated, confident, and very much not trying to surprise you.
Selection Deep Dive
California and France anchor the list, and there's no apology for it. You'll find Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, Stag's Leap, and Far Niente holding down the Napa side, with Louis Jadot and Chateau Margaux flying the French flag. Domaine Drouhin Oregon is a welcome outlier that hints at range beyond the expected. The 150-250 bottle count is respectable for an inn of this size, though anyone hunting for natural wine, Iberian bottlings, or anything south of the equator will come up empty.
By the Glass
With 12-20 options running $12-$18 a glass, the pour program is solid enough for a pre-dinner exploration. The range tracks with the bottle list — expect Napa Cabs and French classics to dominate the options. It won't blow your mind, but it's reliable and well-managed under Carol Covell's watch.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $45–$60 est.
Jordan delivers consistent, polished Alexander Valley Cab at a price point that doesn't feel like punishment in a place where the bottle list skews toward triple-digit territory. It's the move if you want something serious without venturing toward Opus One country.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon
On a list dominated by Napa power players and French prestige labels, this Oregon Pinot slips in quietly and earns its spot. It's the one bottle that breaks the California-France duopoly and offers something with genuine terroir intrigue — most tables never order it.
Opus One
Opus One is a fine wine, but at Hampton prices in a restaurant context, you're paying a significant premium for the label cachet. The markup on a bottle this high-profile is rarely kind, and you can drink just as well — or better — further down the list.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Rack of Lamb
Stag's Leap's structured Cab has the backbone to stand up to lamb without steamrolling the herbs and char. It's a classic pairing executed with restraint — the wine's dark fruit and firm tannins find their footing against the richness of the rack, and neither one blinks first.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The 1770 House is a reliable, well-managed wine program that pairs beautifully with the room it lives in — historic, polished, and unapologetically classic. If you want adventure, look elsewhere; if you want a well-chosen Napa Cab in a candlelit colonial inn on Main Street East Hampton, this is exactly your spot.
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