Jazz, jerk chicken, and a serious wine list
Ann Arbor · American, Caribbean · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 16, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Blue Llama Jazz Club’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walk into a dim, music-forward jazz supper club in downtown Ann Arbor and the last thing you expect is a Wine Spectator-recognized list. But here we are — the Blue Llama pulls it off, pairing live horns with a California-and-France-anchored program that actually holds up to scrutiny. It's a genuine surprise.
The list runs 80 to 120 bottles and leans hard into two regions: California and France, which is exactly what the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence (earned in 2024) calls out as their strengths. You'll find recognizable names like Caymus and Jordan on the California side, Bouchard Père & Fils and Louis Jadot anchoring the French corner. It's not an adventurous list — no natural wine rabbit holes, no obscure Jura bottles — but it's well-curated and coherent, which is more than most jazz clubs anywhere in the Midwest can claim. The gap is texture: a little more depth in Loire or Rhône would push this from solid to genuinely exciting.
Twelve to eighteen pours by the glass is a generous spread for this format, running $10 to $18. Meiomi Pinot Noir and Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay anchor the accessible end, which gives guests a comfortable on-ramp without forcing a full bottle commitment on a Tuesday night. We'd like to see more rotation here — the glass list feels like it was set once and left alone — but the range is respectable.
Louis Jadot Burgundy — $45
Jadot's reliability is almost unfair at this price point in a supper club setting. Classic Burgundy structure that holds its own against the kitchen's bolder flavors, and it won't blow up your dinner tab.
Bouchard Père & Fils
Most people at a jazz club are reaching for the Caymus or the Meiomi without a second thought. Bouchard is a serious Burgundy négociant with centuries of track record — if they're pouring one of their village-level bottlings here, it's almost certainly the most interesting thing on the list that nobody's ordering.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, marked up everywhere, and the rich, jammy profile doesn't do much for Caribbean-spiced food. You're paying for the label recognition more than anything in the glass.
Duckhorn Merlot + Pan-seared duck breast
Duck on duck isn't a gimmick — Duckhorn Merlot's plum and dark cherry fruit with restrained tannins is genuinely built for the rich, savory fat of a seared duck breast. It's the most intuitive pairing on the menu and it delivers.
The Bottom Line
The Blue Llama is the kind of place that earns its Wine Spectator credential quietly — no flashy deep cellar, just a focused, fair-priced list that respects its guests. If you're in Ann Arbor and want wine with your live jazz, this is where you go.
· Ann Arbor · French-Inspired
La Serre is a genuinely beautiful room with a wine list that's still finding its voice — solid enough for a date night, not yet a destination for anyone who really cares about what's in the glass. Come for the mussels and steak frites, drink something French, and hope the list grows into the space it inhabits.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ann Arbor · Wine Bar / New American
Vinology is doing something genuinely interesting for Ann Arbor — a globally curious, fairly priced wine list with real depth by the glass and producers you won't find at the Italian place down the street. We'd send a friend here specifically for wine, which is not something we say lightly.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Ann Arbor · New American / Wine Bar
Spencer is a reliable wine bar doing exactly what it sets out to do — give Ann Arbor diners a comfortable, recognizable list with enough options to make everyone at the table happy. Just watch the by-the-glass pricing on the upper end, and let the Idlewild be your little secret.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Campus · Ann Arbor · New American / Hotel Restaurant
Eve is a dependable, well-kept hotel wine list that earns its place as Ann Arbor's go-to for faculty dinners and anniversary meals — just don't come expecting to be surprised. Order the Merry Edwards, skip the Stag's Leap markup, and let someone else handle the tab.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor · Upscale-casual Italian
Bravo! is a chain doing chain things with its wine list — predictable, approachable, and not particularly exciting. But the markup is fairer than most chains, the by-the-glass range is functional, and if you show up on a Wednesday, $7 Provençal rosé on the patio is a genuinely good time.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Ann Arbor · American Gastropub
The Ravens Club isn't a wine destination — it's a late-night Ann Arbor institution that happens to have a functional wine list. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Gruet for $6, and let the spirits program do its real job.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
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