Pretty Views, Wine List Needs Work
East Vancouver · Vancouver · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 29, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Cove Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The waterfront setting does a lot of heavy lifting here. When you flip to the wine section, you're staring at three — yes, three — bottles, which is less a wine list and more a wine sentence. For a spot billing itself as upscale, this is a tough look.
Three labels is not a wine program, it's a suggestion. You get a California sparkler in the Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rosé, a Washington Cab from Greenwing, and a Spanish Verdejo from Silbón — a geographically scattered trio that feels more accidental than curated. There's no real regional story being told here, despite the restaurant's nods to Northwest cuisine and local ingredients. The gaps are enormous: no Pinot Noir, no Chardonnay, no Riesling, nothing that speaks to the Pacific Northwest identity this place is leaning into on the food side. If you're hoping for depth or discovery, you're in the wrong harbor.
One glass pour. One. The Silbón Verdejo 2019 is your only option by the glass at $13, which is at least a reasonable price for the pour. But a single BTG option at a waterfront restaurant with a full dinner service is genuinely hard to defend — you can't even match red to red or white to white without committing to a bottle.
Silbón Verdejo 2019 — $13/gl
At $13 a glass, the Verdejo is the most accessible entry point on the list and a crisp, mineral-driven white that actually makes sense near the water. It's the safest bet in a short field.
Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rosé NV
Most people at a casual waterfront spot skip the sparkling wine and go straight for the Cab. Don't. The Mirabelle is Schramsberg's entry-level bubbly, but it's still Schramsberg — a California sparkling house that's been serving White House state dinners since Nixon. It's festive, food-friendly, and worth the splurge if you're celebrating anything at all.
Greenwing Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
At $84 a bottle, Greenwing Cab is asking for a lot of trust with very little context. Greenwing is a value-tier label, and without retail pricing confirmed, that number feels like it's trading heavily on the ambiance rather than what's in the glass. There are far better Washington Cabs to be found elsewhere for less.
Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rosé NV + Seafood
The Cove leans into Northwest seafood and this sparkling rosé is built for it — bright acidity, fine bubbles, and enough fruit to complement without overpowering. It's the most versatile bottle on the list and the one that actually fits the waterfront setting.
The Bottom Line
The Cove is a genuinely lovely spot to eat near the water, but the wine list is an afterthought dressed up in decent pricing on one pour. Come for the view and the food — just don't expect the wine program to keep up.
· Vancouver · Italian / Wine Shop
La Bottega is a Wild Card in the best sense: a café-deli-wine-shop in a city not known for serious wine, pouring Arnot-Roberts and Dönnhoff by the glass at fair prices. If you're in Vancouver, WA and want a genuinely good pour with your lunch, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Vancouver · Seafood / Steak
Line & Lure clears the casino restaurant bar by a comfortable margin — fair prices, a thoughtful white wine program, and a Royal Tokaji that earns genuine respect. We'd send a friend here for a pre-dinner glass without hesitation, as long as they stick to the whites.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Vancouver · Latin / Contemporary
DOSALAS is a tequila bar with a wine list that's doing the minimum — decent regional picks, steep markups, and no real surprises. Drink the Albarino or the Tempranillo and save your wine ambitions for a dedicated wine spot.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Vancouver · New American
The Hammond isn't a destination wine list, but it punches above its weight for a craft bar — especially if you love Pacific Northwest reds. Send a friend here, point them toward the Oregon section, and tell them to skip the cocktails.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Vancouver · American / Wine Bar
Uptown Barrel Room isn't trying to be a destination wine list, and it doesn't need to be — it's a solid neighborhood wine bar with fair prices, good enough options, and the rare commitment to making everything available by the glass. Send a friend here for a casual weeknight pour without hesitation.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Vancouver · Pacific Rim / Hawaiian
Tommy O's wine list isn't going to make you cancel your dinner reservation somewhere else, but it's an honest, no-nonsense selection that covers the basics at what appears to be reasonable prices. Send your friends here for the food and a decent pour — just don't expect to geek out over the list.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Baltimore · American
Give the international and local sections a look before defaulting to Burgundy. Sula at $70 and Old Westminster at $90 offer different budget options. These are posted bottle prices, not guaranteed stock; confirm availability. This menu guide doesn't rate service or cellar conditions.
· Key West · American
Caroline's Café is not a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — the identical pricing across all five house labels makes that abundantly clear. If you're in Key West looking for something interesting in your glass, keep walking; if you just need a cold pour of Chardonnay with your lunch and aren't asking questions, $8 gets you there without drama.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kerns · Portland · American
Noble Rot is the rare restaurant wine program that would hold up as a standalone wine bar — deep list, sharp staff, fair prices, and a view that makes the whole experience feel earned. Send your friends here. Send yourself here.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.