Newport's Solid Pour, No Surprises
Lower Thames · Newport · American (New) · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Fifth Element’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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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.
Outskirts / North End · Newport · Farm-to-Table / Winery Restaurant
Brix isn't trying to be a destination wine list — it's trying to be a great ambassador for one vineyard's work, and it mostly succeeds. Send your curious friends here; send your Burgundy obsessives somewhere else.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Lower Thames · Newport · Farm-to-Table / New American
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
Lower Thames / Residential Edge · Newport · Classic Italian
Mamma Luisa isn't a wine destination, but it's a solid, honest Italian list that does right by the food coming out of the kitchen. Send a friend here for a bottle of Barbera and a bowl of homemade pasta and they'll thank you.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lower Thames · Newport · Italian (Apulian/Seafood-Focused)
Vieste isn't a destination wine list, but it's a genuinely honest one — a small, region-focused selection that actually matches the food and the room. Send a friend here if they're curious about Southern Italian grapes and tired of the same ten wines on every Newport menu.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Bannister's Wharf Area · Newport · New American small plates with Mediterranean and raw bar focus
Stoneacre Garden punches above its weight for a patio bar on the Newport waterfront — it's not a destination wine list, but it's a thoughtful one built around the food, and that's rarer than it should be. If you're here for oysters and small plates, you'll drink well without overthinking it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Bowen's Wharf · Newport · Seafood
The Lobster Bar isn't a wine destination, but it's a perfectly competent list for what the restaurant is — a casual waterfront spot where the lobster is the star. Order the Sancerre, eat the oysters, watch the boats.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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