Newport's Solid Pour, No Surprises
Lower Thames · Newport · American (New) · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 24, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed The Fifth Element’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at The Fifth Element reads like a greatest hits album — you know every track, nothing challenges you, but nothing offends you either. It's a bar-forward menu built for people who want a glass of something recognizable while they settle into their booth. For Newport, where tourist dollars flow freely, this list could easily be a cash-grab; it's not, which earns it some credit.
The list leans hard on California — Chardonnay from William Hill and Wente, Cabernet from Hayes Ranch and Stag's Leap — with a decent French accent courtesy of Louis Jadot's Pouilly-Fuissé and Louis Latour's Grand Ardèche. The sparkling section is surprisingly fleshed out: LaMarca Prosecco, Chandon, Taittinger Carneros, Veuve Clicquot, Laurent-Perrier Rosé, and Dom Pérignon give you a real range from casual to celebratory. What's missing is anything adventurous — no domestic Pinot Noir, no Spanish selections, no natural wine presence — so if you're hunting for something off the beaten path, you won't find it here.
Roughly 10-14 options by the glass at $9-$12 is genuinely reasonable for a Newport bar in this price bracket. You get decent representation across whites, reds, and sparkling, though the rotation appears static — don't expect seasonal swaps or anything that wasn't on the list six months ago. It's a pour-and-go program, not a by-the-glass showcase.
Louis Latour Grand Ardèche Chardonnay — $34
This Ardèche Chardonnay is a legitimately well-made French white from a respected négociant — clean, food-friendly, and priced at the low end of the bottle list. At $34, it's the move if you want something that actually tastes like it came from somewhere.
Taittinger Domaine Carneros
Most people reaching for bubbles here will default to Veuve or Dom, but the Taittinger-owned Carneros sparkler is the sleeper pick — serious winemaking pedigree at a fraction of the prestige-cuvée price. Order it instead.
Dom Pérignon
At $250, Dom here isn't a steal — it's a standard restaurant markup on a bottle you could take home from a retailer for considerably less. Save it for somewhere with the cellar program and ceremony to match the price tag.
Honig Sauvignon Blanc + Blackened Mahi-Mahi
Honig's Napa Sauvignon Blanc has enough citrus brightness and acidity to cut through the char on blackened fish without fighting the seasoning. It's a natural fit — zesty, clean, and won't let the spice run away with the plate.
The Bottom Line
The Fifth Element is a reliable neighborhood bar with a wine list that won't embarrass you or excite you — solid picks, fair prices, no ambition. Send your friends here for the blackened mahi and a bottle of Grand Ardèche; just don't expect the wine list to be the reason they come back.
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Castle Hill's wine list is a quiet overachiever in a setting that could easily get away with doing far less. The by-the-glass depth is real, the format variety is a genuine bonus, and the Lustau Fino alone justifies scanning the list carefully. Prices trend steep as you'd expect from a waterfront inn, but the curation earns some goodwill — just don't autopilot to the Cabernet.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport · Seafood / Clam Shack
Flo's is a genuine New England institution for fried clams and clam cakes, and we'd happily eat there any day of the week. But the wine program is essentially non-existent — two options, one of them a mystery, and one of them a Champagne marked up 100%. Order the ice cold beer instead; it's literally on the menu as the drink of choice, and they're not wrong.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Bar 12 is a well-priced, no-drama wine stop in a city where wine lists can get away with being lazy and expensive. The selection is commercial and safe, but the Grüner and the Willamette Pinot Noir show someone made at least a couple of interesting calls. If you want a solid glass without a markup headache, it delivers — just don't come looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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TSK is quietly one of the better wine lists in Newport, which is a town that doesn't exactly set a high bar — but this one would hold its own in most cities. If you're eating farm-to-table food and want a bottle that actually matches the kitchen's ethos, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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