Bloomington's most grown-up wine list
Downtown · Bloomington · Modern American with Mediterranean and North African influences · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Elm’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The Elm's wine list lands somewhere between neighborhood restaurant and genuinely trying — and mostly succeeds. It's more thoughtful than anything else downtown Bloomington has to offer, with enough Old World representation to signal that someone here actually cares. The price range tops out aggressively, but there's real meat in the $35–$80 window.
The list pulls from France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and the U.S. in a way that feels curated rather than assembled by a distributor rep with a quota. You'll find Comte Lafond Sancerre and Simonnet-Febvre Chablis on the white side, which is a genuine flex for a mid-size Indiana city. The Italian selections show range — Antinori's 'Bramito' Chardonnay, Olianas Vermentino from Sardinia, and Piccini's Orvieto sit alongside the predictable Pinot Grigio. Reds lean more conventional, with Siduri Pinot Noir and J. Lohr Petite Sirah doing most of the heavy lifting in the accessible tier, while the premium end balloons quickly into $165–$210 territory with bottles like Jonata and DAOU 'Soul of a Lion' — exciting options, but the markup spread from everyday to special-occasion is steep.
Glass pours run $10–$16 and cover the expected bases — there's a Sauvignon Blanc, a Pinot Grigio, a Pinot Noir, a Rosé — with a few surprises like the Dr. G dry Riesling and Buil & Giné Verdejo giving the BTG program some actual personality. The Siduri Pinot Noir at $16 a glass is the top of the range and worth it when the food calls for it. We'd love to see more rotation here; the program reads like it gets refreshed seasonally at best.
Manos Negras Malbec 2023 – Mendoza — $45
A well-made, food-friendly Malbec at a price that won't ruin your evening. Anchors the red list without asking too much of your wallet, and it holds up against the bolder spice profiles on the menu.
Olianas Vermentino
Sardinian Vermentino is genuinely underordered in American restaurants, and this one earns its place. Herbal, saline, and slightly bitter on the finish — it's a natural fit for the North African-inflected dishes on the menu, and most tables will walk right past it.
Daou Vineyards 'Soul of a Lion' 2021 – Paso Robles
At $210, this is a bottle you could buy at retail for significantly less without much effort. It's a great wine, but paying trophy-restaurant prices for it at a mid-tier Modern American spot in Bloomington doesn't add up.
Comte Lafond Sancerre + Seasonal small plates with herb-forward or citrus-dressed preparations
Sancerre's bright acidity and grassy snap cut through olive oil, preserved lemon, and fresh herb-heavy Mediterranean preparations without overwhelming them. It's the kind of pairing that feels effortless when the kitchen is firing on seasonal ingredients.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Elm is the best wine list in downtown Bloomington without much competition, and it earns that spot honestly — the Old World picks, the German Riesling, the Sardinian Vermentino all point to real intention. Just be selective when the prices climb, because the markup at the top end doesn't match the setting.
Downtown Bloomington · Bloomington · Eclectic Cafe / Breakfast & Brunch
Come to the Runcible Spoon for the atmosphere, the eggs, and the coffee — the wine list is an afterthought and the restaurant knows it. If you need something in a glass, the Graffigna Malbec won't embarrass you, but don't build your evening around the wine program.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Side · Bloomington · American / Comfort Food
Cheddar's Bloomington is a perfectly fine place to eat a big plate of comfort food, but the wine program is an afterthought at best and a quiet ripoff at worst. Order a cocktail, order a beer, or bring your own if they allow it — just don't come here expecting wine to be part of the night.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bloomington · Modern Mexican
La Una Cantina is a genuinely fun night out — order the mezcal, order the tacos, and don't overthink the wine list because the restaurant clearly didn't. If wine is your thing, this is a cocktail night.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bloomington · Turkish / Mediterranean
Anatolia is a Wild Card not because the list is adventurous top to bottom — it's mostly not — but because a Turkish restaurant in a college town with 27 glass pours, a Gigondas, a Jadot Pouilly Fuissé, and an actual Turkish wine from Kavaklidere is doing something more interesting than the Caymus-heavy lineup suggests. Come for the food, skip the safe American blockbusters, and let the Kavaklidere or Gigondas do the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bloomington · Indian (Northern and Southern), Halal-friendly
Taste of India is clearly beloved for its food, and it should be — but the wine list is an afterthought that no one has revisited in a while. Order a mango lassi, a Kingfisher if they have it, or save the wine for a restaurant that's actually trying.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Side · Bloomington · Japanese (sushi, hibachi, and classic Japanese dishes)
Mori is swinging bigger on wine than any casual Japanese spot in Bloomington has a right to, and we respect the effort. The markups and the California-red tunnel vision hold it back from being a destination wine stop, but if you're already there for sushi, there's a genuinely interesting bottle or two worth finding.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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