Great Beer List, Wine Forgot to Show Up
· Fort Wayne · New American / Taco Gastropub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 18, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Hoppy Gnome’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The Hoppy Gnome is clearly a beer bar that got talked into stocking wine at the last minute. The wine list is ten deep — all of it, bottles and glasses combined — and the producers on hand are the kind you recognize from the supermarket endcap, not a wine shop.
Ten labels total, and the list reads like someone ordered whatever was available on a Tuesday from a regional distributor. CK Mondavi anchors the whites and the cab, Silverlake handles the Moscato and Pinot Noir, and St. James fills the sweet red slot. There's no old-world presence, no regional curiosity, no effort to reflect the gastropub's food ambitions. Half the list is sangria, which tells you exactly where the priorities are.
Everything on the list is available by the glass, which sounds generous until you realize there are only ten options total. Prices land between $7.50 and $9, which is fair for what you're getting — just don't expect to be surprised. The Belposto Prosecco at $7.50 is the lone bright spot in a field of mass-market pours.
Belposto Prosecco — $7.50/glass
At $7.50 a glass, it's the most food-friendly option on the list and an honest pour for the price. If you're eating tacos and need something bubbly and refreshing, this is your move.
St James Sweet Red Blend
Missouri's St. James Winery is a legitimate American regional producer with a cult following in the Midwest. It's easy to overlook next to the Mondavi bottles, but it's the only wine on the list with any actual character or sense of place.
CK Mondavi Chardonnay
At $32 a bottle, it's the priciest thing on the list — and it's CK Mondavi Chardonnay. You can buy this at the grocery store for under ten bucks. The markup isn't outrageous by restaurant standards, but you're paying restaurant prices for a wine that has no business being anyone's splurge.
Sangria Traditional + Tacos
We don't have a specific taco on the menu to call out, but at a taco gastropub, a house sangria at $8 is doing the work it was built to do. It's cold, it's fruity, it won't fight the spice, and nobody's going to overthink it.
The Bottom Line
The Hoppy Gnome is a beer bar, and you should drink the beer. If someone at the table insists on wine, the Prosecco or the sangria will get you through the night — just don't expect anything more than that.
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Proximo isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the list is priced fairly, the picks are coherent, and the Torrontés alone is worth a detour. Send a friend here with confidence — just steer them away from the Black Stallion.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Eddie Merlot's Fort Wayne is a reliably well-run steakhouse wine program — proper storage, real glassware, a sommelier on the floor, and enough pours by the glass to satisfy a full table. The list won't challenge you, and the markups will sting, but if you want a classic California Cab with your prime beef and you want it done right, this place delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Jefferson Pointe · Fort Wayne · American – Gourmet Burgers & Pub Fare
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Jefferson Pointe / West Fort Wayne · Fort Wayne · Asian Fusion
Nawa is a fine place to eat; the wine list won't embarrass anyone, but it won't excite them either. Grab the Amarone or the Broquel Malbec, ignore the celebrity bottles, and let the food do the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / West Central · Fort Wayne · American Tavern / Bar Food
Henry's is a bar that happens to take its wine list seriously enough to matter, and the Wednesday half-price deal is the kind of thing you should have already texted your friends about. Don't overthink it — show up, order the Belleruche, and feel good about your Wednesday.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
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