James Beard Kitchen Meets Sommelier's Playground
Historic District · Savannah · Port City Southern · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed February 21, 2026
Wingman Metrics
A restored 1938 Art Deco Greyhound Bus Terminal. A James Beard Outstanding Chef. Foradori Teroldego and Clos Erasmus Priorat by the glass. The Grey doesn't collect wine — it curates experiences. This is the opposite of a 700-bottle encyclopedia. Every selection on this list earned its spot through a sommelier team that actively pushes guests toward discovery.
The late Scott Waldrup built the original program around obscure regions and indigenous varietals, and that DNA still runs through every vintage on this list. The current by-the-glass lineup tells you everything: 23 wines across 8 categories including an orange wine section and a Tavel rose (not pale Provence pink — actual Tavel). You'll find Hondarrabi Zuri from the Basque Country, Kloof Street Chenin Blanc from Swartland South Africa, and Isabel Ferrando Clairette from the Southern Rhone alongside more familiar Burgundy Chardonnay and Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. The team actively introduces Turkish wines, Lebanese wines, and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo to guests who came in planning to order Cabernet. Old World-forward, discovery-driven, deliberately adventurous.
23 wines in a 6oz pour/bottle format that's genuinely generous. The range runs from Dr. Loosen Deutscher Sekt Riesling at $12 to Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2015 at $60 per glass ($240 bottle) — a prestige Champagne by the glass that signals this team's confidence. Most glasses land $14-18, which is fair for the quality. The Foradori Teroldego and San Polo Brunello di Montalcino by the glass are the kind of pours that change what people think about wine.
Ercole Barbera or Bruna Grimaldi Nebbiolo (By the Glass) — $14-16
Italian reds by the glass from producers most Savannah diners have never heard of, at prices that make exploration painless. The Nebbiolo especially — Barolo's grape without Barolo's price tag.
Clos Erasmus Laurel Priorat Garnacha (By the Glass)
Spanish Priorat by the glass at a restaurant in Savannah. This is a $140 bottle poured at $36 for a 6oz glass — not cheap, but try finding Priorat by the glass anywhere else in Georgia. Worth every cent for the experience.
Don't Skip Anything — Ask the Sommelier
This is a list where skipping the safe choice IS the point. Tell the sommelier what you usually drink and ask them to take you somewhere new. That's what this program was built for.
Wine Pairing with the Five-Course Tasting Menu + Chef Mashama Bailey's Prix Fixe ($125)
The tasting menu pairings are where The Grey's wine program comes alive — Chenin Blanc with tuna crudo, Nebbiolo with grilled mushrooms, Rioja with stuffed quail. Let the sommelier drive. This is the point.
🔥 The Bottom Line
The Grey proves that a curated, adventurous wine list can be just as impressive as a 700-bottle cellar. James Beard Outstanding Chef Mashama Bailey's food demands a wine program that matches its ambition, and the sommelier team delivers — with indigenous varietals, natural wines, and by-the-glass pours you won't find anywhere else in the Southeast. Come for the food, stay for the wine education you didn't know you needed.
Downtown Savannah · Savannah · Farm to Table, Seasonal
The 1540 Room is a dependable, well-curated list in one of Savannah's most atmospheric dining rooms — you won't find anything to argue with, but you won't find anything to be shocked by either. Send your friends here when they want a great bottle with a great meal and zero drama.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Thomas Square · Savannah · Southern
Common Thread is Savannah's rising wine sleeper. Libby Burk is building one of the most interesting sommelier-driven programs in the Southeast — indigenous varietals, natural wines, and a genuine passion for making wine accessible and fun. Not as deep as Common's 710-bottle cathedral, not as famous as The Grey's James Beard pedigree, but arguably the most exciting wine program in town for anyone who wants to learn something new every visit.
Adventurous
Fair
Proper
Sommelier Led
Wine Club & Events
Proper
Historic District · Savannah · Southern American
Common isn't just the best wine program in Savannah — it's one of the best in the Southeast. 710 selections including first-growth Bordeaux verticals, Grand Cru Burgundy, and Napa trophy wines, backed by a three-sommelier team. The $25 corkage fee is fair if you bring something the list doesn't cover, but good luck finding a gap. Plan a trip around this one.
Encyclopedic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Sommelier Team
Rotating
Cellar Proper
Historic District · Savannah · Southern American
Come for the pirate history and the She-Crab soup, but leave wine expectations at the door. This list exists to fill a checkbox, not to enhance your meal—order a cocktail or local beer instead.
Crowd Pleasers
Gouge
Red Flag
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Historic District · Savannah · Italian Steakhouse
Pacifico won't change your wine life, but it won't ruin your dinner either. If you're here for the steaks and want a safe Italian red, you'll be fine. Just don't expect value or adventure.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Historic District · Savannah · American
Vic's won't blow your mind with wine, but it won't ruin your riverfront dinner either. Order smart, skip the trophy bottles, and you'll drink well enough while watching the Savannah River roll by.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.