Vermont's Most Surprising Wine Bar Hiding in Plain Sight
North End · Burlington · Steakhouse and Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walk into what looks like a lively bar attached to a classic New England steakhouse and you don't expect to find a Cruvinet preserving higher-caliber pours by the glass. But here we are. The Lower Deck is doing something genuinely interesting in South Burlington, and that deserves attention.
The list runs 60 to 100 bottles deep and leans hard into Napa Valley — Cakebread, Duckhorn, Far Niente's Post & Beam, Belle Glos — with a respectable nod to Burgundy via Albert Bichot's Chablis and an Alsace detour with Trimbach Riesling. It's not adventurous, but it's curated with intention for a steakhouse crowd. The Old World representation is thin, and anything outside of France or California is largely an afterthought, but what's here is legit. We'd love to see more Rhône, more Italy, maybe a Willamette Valley Pinot to compete with the Belle Glos — but for Vermont, this is above average without much debate.
Fifteen staple pours cover the everyday bases, but the Cruvinet is the real story — it allows the kitchen to open higher-end bottles and serve them properly by the glass without oxidation risk. That's a meaningful commitment for a casual bar setting. If you're here, skip the house pours and go straight to what the Cruvinet is running that night.
Trimbach Riesling 2020 — null
Trimbach is one of Alsace's most reliable producers, and their Riesling at this price tier consistently overdelivers — dry, precise, and food-friendly in a way that makes it the smartest order at a seafood-forward steakhouse menu.
Albert Bichot Chablis 2022
Most people at a steakhouse reach for the Chardonnay they already know. Skip Cakebread and order this — Chablis is leaner, more mineral, and frankly a better call next to clam chowder or a crab cake than a butter-bombed California Chard.
Beaulieu Vineyard Napa Cabernet 2019
BV Napa Cab is reliable grocery store wine and there's nothing wrong with it at the right price — but at steakhouse markup in a restaurant also pouring Post & Beam by Far Niente, it's the list's filler entry. Spend a little more and get something that actually belongs here.
Belle Glos 'Dairyman' Pinot Noir 2021 + Jumbo Lump Crab Cake
Belle Glos Dairyman is richer and darker than most Pinot Noir, with enough fruit weight to stand up to crab without steamrolling it. It's a bit hedonistic for the pairing purists, but this is a bar, not a tasting menu — and it works.
🎲 The Bottom Line
The Lower Deck is a genuine Wild Card — a casual Vermont bar quietly running a Cruvinet and stocking Cakebread and Far Niente next to your clam chowder. Markups hold it back from greatness, but the ambition alone makes it worth a detour.
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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
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American Bistro
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
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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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
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Matts' isn't a wine destination, but it's not pretending to be one either. The Pacific Northwest focus is smart, the by-the-glass picks punch above the room's casual energy, and $9 oyster bar pours during happy hour is a deal worth showing up for.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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Mancy's earns its reputation on the food side, but the wine list is an afterthought — thin, marked up unevenly, and coasting on name recognition. Order the steak, skip the carafe, and grab a glass of Riesling if you want to make the best of it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Vargas Cut & Catch isn't destination wine drinking, but it's honest, fairly priced, and well-matched to what they're cooking. If you're already going for the filet and lobster tail, the wine list won't let you down — and that Stags' Leap Cab at below-retail is reason enough to pay attention.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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