Great Pork Chops, Forgettable Wine List
West Davenport · Davenport · American / Farm-to-Table · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 9, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Machine Shed’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The Machine Shed is all-in on the Midwestern farmhouse experience — and the wine list reads like an afterthought stapled to the back of a menu built around cinnamon rolls and chicken fried steak. Nothing offensive here, just nothing that suggests anyone spent more than twenty minutes curating it. You're here for the food, and the wine knows it.
The list runs somewhere in the 20-35 bottle range and leans almost entirely on California and Washington State workhorses — think Kendall-Jackson, Robert Mondavi Woodbridge, and Chateau Ste. Michelle doing the heavy lifting. There's no adventurous detour into Rhône, no Midwest nod to a local producer, no Old World anything in sight. Bottles top out around $60, which keeps the damage low, but the ceiling and the floor are basically the same altitude. If you've been to an Applebee's recently, this list will feel familiar.
Six to ten options by the glass priced between $8 and $12, which is honest money for what you're getting. Don't expect rotation or anything resembling a seasonal program — this is a set-and-forget situation that probably hasn't changed since the Bush administration. Pour something, enjoy your pork chop, move on.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $8
At the low end of the glass price range, this Washington State Riesling is the most interesting thing on the list by a mile. Bright acidity and a touch of sweetness make it the only pour here with any personality, and it won't hurt your wallet either.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
In a room full of people ordering Cabernet with their steak, nobody is touching the Riesling — which is exactly why you should. It's the most food-versatile wine on this list and the one pick that shows a little self-awareness.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
Ubiquitous, heavily oaked, and the kind of Chardonnay that's been on every mid-tier restaurant list since 1997. You can buy this at any grocery store for less than you'll pay here, and you deserve better even at these price points.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling + Pork Chop
Pork and Riesling is one of the great no-brainer combinations in food and wine, and it works here too. The Riesling's acidity cuts through the richness of the chop while its faint sweetness plays off any glaze or seasoning on the meat.
❌ The Bottom Line
The Machine Shed is a genuinely fun place to eat a massive Midwestern meal, but the wine list is strictly along for the ride. Order the Riesling, drink the beer, and save your serious wine curiosity for another night.
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