Asheville's Downtown Classic Plays It Safe
Downtown Asheville · Asheville · American farm-to-table · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed February 21, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The Market Place's wine list reads like a greatest hits compilation from Wine Spectator's top 100. It's the kind of list that won't offend anyone at the table, but won't surprise anyone either. For a 40-year Asheville institution, we expected more personality.
The 100+ bottle list leans heavily on familiar names: Rhône stalwarts like E. Guigal, Napa heavy-hitters including Orin Swift, and safe bets from Marlborough and Mendoza. There's a token nod to local with Biltmore Estate bubbles, but the list feels frozen in 2015. Missing: any natural wines, orange wines, or adventurous producers that define modern farm-to-table dining. The Rhône selection shows promise with some depth beyond Guigal, and the Champagne corner features Billecart-Salmon, which is a smart choice. But overall, this is a list built for tourists who want recognizable labels, not locals hunting for discovery bottles.
Twelve by-the-glass options at $10-$18 covers the bases without much flair. You'll find a predictable lineup: a Sancerre, a Napa Cab, probably a Malbec, definitely a Pinot Grigio. The pricing is fair for Asheville, but the selection rotates about as often as the restaurant changes its address. These are Wednesday night pours, not pours that make you lean across the table and say 'taste this.'
E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône — $48
A workhorse Rhône that drinks well above its price point and pairs with half the menu
Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve
Most people skip Champagne with farm-to-table, but this grower bottle elevates the Whole Sunburst Trout like nothing else on the list
Orin Swift 8 Years in the Desert
A $95+ markup on a wine that's already overpriced retail—pure name recognition tax
Guigal Côtes du Rhône + Cider Braised Pork Shank
The Grenache-Syrah blend mirrors the braising liquid's fruit-forward sweetness while cutting through the richness
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Market Place does its job: you'll drink well enough with your Wood Grilled Bistro Steak, and you won't get gouged on the Guigal. But for a restaurant celebrating four decades in Asheville's most dynamic food scene, the wine program feels like it's coasting on reputation. We'd send a friend here for the food and the history, then tell them to order cocktails.
Downtown Asheville · Asheville · Farm to Table
The Blackbird is doing wine right in a town that's more known for craft beer — there's a real sommelier (Sarah Reder) behind this list and it shows. Send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Asheville · Asheville · American
Vue 1913 is a reliable wine destination for guests who know what they like and want to drink it with a jaw-dropping view — just don't expect the list to push you anywhere new. Send your California Cab-loving friends here without hesitation; send your natural wine friends somewhere else.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Grove Park · Asheville · Regional
Sunset Terrace isn't a wine destination — it's a destination where wine happens to be available and handled competently. Come for the mountains and the steak, order the Ridge or the Sonoma-Cutrer, and enjoy the fact that at least nobody's pouring you something terrible.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Asheville · Asheville · American, Farm to Table
Jargon is doing something real with wine in a neighborhood that doesn't demand it, and that's exactly why it deserves your attention. Send a friend here — just tell them to skip the Napa Cab and ask about the Minervois.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Asheville · Asheville · American
The Dining Room is genuinely worth the trip, and not just because of the mansion backdrop — the sommelier team is real, the cellar is serious, and Wednesday half-price wine night turns a splurge into a steal. Markups on the prestige bottles are steep, but the overall program earns its Best of Award of Excellence.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Asheville · Asheville · Middle Eastern
Jerusalem Garden Cafe does Middle Eastern food well, but the wine program is non-existent. Stick to the Turkish coffee or mint tea and save your wine budget for literally anywhere else in Asheville.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Red Flag
MIA
Set & Forget
Hot Mess
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