French Ambitions, SoCal Execution, Fair Prices
· Irvine · French and New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · October 4, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Cellar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The name sets expectations high — and the list mostly clears the bar. At 69 labels with 19 by-the-glass options, The Cellar in Irvine is clearly thinking about wine, not just tolerating it. The price range ($12–$30/glass, $22–$550/bottle) suggests a menu that can work for a casual Thursday dinner or a serious splurge.
The list leans toward crowd-pleasing California producers — Caymus, DAOU, Sinegal, Rutherford Hill — but earns points for threading in some European depth: Albert Bichot Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Chateau Patache d'Aux from Médoc, Familia Montaña Rioja Reserva, and the Roger Sabon Red Blend from the Southern Rhône. The Grüner Veltliner from Laurenz V. and Thomas Labille Chardonnay show someone put real thought into the white selection. The gaps are real, though — no Italian reds to speak of, and Champagne is conspicuously absent for a restaurant with French on its marquee.
Nineteen by-the-glass options is a generous program for a room this size, and pricing is honest — most pours are a straight one-fifth of the bottle price, which is the fairness benchmark. The sparkling section (Lucien Albrecht Brut Rosé, Les Allies Brut, Villa Sandi Prosecco) gives you actual choices at the start of a meal rather than forcing a Champagne-or-nothing decision.
The Bottom Line
The Cellar is doing more with 69 labels than most Irvine restaurants do with twice as many. The markup is fair, the by-the-glass program is genuinely broad, and there are a few smart European picks tucked in among the California staples. If you're eating French and New American in OC and you want a wine list that won't disappoint you, this is a safe — and occasionally interesting — bet.
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · Mexican
Javier's Irvine is a genuinely good night out — the food is the draw, the room delivers, and the wine list will get you through dinner without embarrassing anyone. But if you're coming specifically to drink well, temper expectations: this is California-safe territory with pricing that reflects the zip code more than the cellar. Order the carne asada, ask what's open by the glass, and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · French tasting menu
Mélisse earns its reputation as one of Southern California's most serious dining rooms, and the wine program appears to match. We can't call specific bottles or prices without a sourced list in hand, but the bones — sommelier-led, France-forward, storage-conscious — are all there. If you're going, go all the way: budget for a pairing and let the room do its job.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Irvine · Tasting Menu
The Hobbit's wine program is a tight five-bottle statement — no dead weight, no crowd-pleaser nonsense, just a considered selection that spans Mosel Riesling, Piedmont, the Santa Cruz Mountains, and Hungarian dessert wine. Pricing and by-the-glass availability aren't confirmed, so call ahead before making this the centerpiece of your evening. But if you trust a restaurant that offers Disznókő Tokaji as a closer, you're probably going to be just fine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Park Place · Irvine · Modern Mexican
Puesto is a fun spot, but the wine list is essentially decorative — five Baja bottles isn't a program, it's a placeholder. Order a mezcal cocktail and revisit this decision when they decide to take wine seriously.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Tustin/Irvine · Irvine · Steakhouse / Seafood
The Winery is a reliable date-night pick for wine drinkers who want something beyond generic and don't mind paying for the atmosphere. We'd want more pricing transparency before calling it a destination, but as a polished local option in Irvine, it's doing the work.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · Steakhouse / New American
Del Frisco's Grille is a reliable wine stop if you know what you're doing and keep expectations tuned to 'comfortable chain steakhouse' rather than 'serious wine destination.' The sommelier presence is real, the list is competent, and a few smart picks — particularly in the whites — reward guests who look past the Rombauer and Whispering Angel.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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