Cozy Burlington Staple, Safe Pours Done Decently
Downtown · Burlington · New American Bistro · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 18, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The Gryphon's wine list reads like a greatest hits album you've heard a hundred times before — Josh Cellars, Meiomi, Apothic. It's not offensively bad, but it's not trying to impress anyone either. The exposed brick and warm bar vibe honestly deserve a more interesting list.
The 30-60 bottle list leans heavily on California crowd-pleasers, with token representation from France, Italy, and the Pacific Northwest. You'll recognize every label from your local grocery store. There's no depth here — no grower Champagne, no interesting Rhône, no Willamette Valley single-vineyard Pinot to justify the Pacific Northwest callout. What you see is exactly what you get, and what you get is very, very safe.
Eight by-the-glass options cover the obvious bases — a Chardonnay, a Pinot Grigio, a Sauvignon Blanc, a Cab, a Pinot Noir, and a red blend. That's a functional spread but zero rotation, nothing seasonal, and no wildcard pour to get excited about. At least the glass prices are in a reasonable range before you do the bottle math.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio Valdadige 2022 — $16 glass / $60 bottle
It's the best actual wine on the list by a wide margin. At 130% markup it's the fairest deal here, and Santa Margherita is a reliable, well-made bottle that outclasses everything else in the lineup. If you're getting a bottle, this is the one.
Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon 815 2021
Most people at a Burlington bistro will reach for the Meiomi Pinot or the Apothic blend without thinking twice. The Joel Gott 815 is a sturdier, more structured Cab that holds up against the steak frites in a way the sweeter options simply can't. Overlooked, and the markup isn't the worst on the list.
Matua Sauvignon Blanc 2023
A $13 retail bottle marked to $44 — that's a 238% markup on a perfectly fine but utterly unremarkable Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc you can grab at any liquor store on your way over. Order the Santa Margherita instead and keep your dignity.
Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon 815 2021 + Steak Frites
The 815 Cab has enough dark fruit and structure to stand up to a proper steak without overwhelming the frites. It's not a fancy pairing, but it's an honest one — and honestly, that fits The Gryphon perfectly.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Gryphon is a reliable neighborhood bistro with a wine list that matches its ambitions exactly: familiar, functional, and forgettable. Come for the burgers and brick walls, but don't expect the wine to be the highlight of your night.
Waterfront · Burlington · Craft Brewery with Bar Snacks
Foam is a brewery first, but the wine program punches way above its weight class — it's small, local, and priced like they actually want you to drink it. If you're on Burlington's waterfront and want something interesting in your glass that isn't a hazy IPA, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American with Vegan Options
The Daily Planet isn't a wine destination, but it has the instincts of one — a thoughtful natural wine pick, Monday half-price bottles, and fair pricing in a casual room that doesn't take itself too seriously. Send a friend here on a Monday and tell them to ask about the orange wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · Neapolitan wood-fired pizza and Italian cuisine
Pizzeria Verità isn't trying to be a wine destination and it doesn't need to be — it's a smart, Italy-focused list with honest markups and a few genuinely interesting bottles tucked in among the crowd-pleasers. Go for the pizza, order the Nebbiolo or the Cirò, and leave happy.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Church Street Marketplace · Burlington · Upscale American Steakhouse
EB Strong's has a wine list that does the job well and occasionally surprises you — especially if you look past the Caymus and dig into the European picks. Wednesday's half-price bottle program makes it one of the better wine-value nights in Burlington, full stop.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Burlington · Seasonal New American, farm-to-table
Hen of the Wood Burlington is the rare restaurant where the wine list is as considered as the food, and that's saying something when the kitchen is this good. If you're driving through Vermont and care about what's in your glass, this is worth a reservation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Church Street Marketplace · Burlington · Italian
Pascolo's wine list won't win any awards for ambition, but it's curated with more care than most Italian spots bother to show. If you're eating house-made pasta in Burlington and want to drink something Italian that actually means something, this gets the job done.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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