Seven Wines, Zero Surprises, Move On
· La Crosse · Bar & American Fare · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed September 14, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed The Old Crow’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at The Old Crow is exactly seven bottles long — the same seven you'd find in a gas station cooler if gas stations had coolers for wine. Credit where it's due: the prices are reasonable for a bar, and nobody's pretending this is something it isn't.
This is a straight-down-the-middle grocery store lineup with zero regional ambition. You've got Josh Cellars pulling double duty with a Pinot Noir and a Cab, Kendall-Jackson representing Chardonnay nation, and CK Mondavi handling the sweet stuff. The lone wild card is Yealands Sauvignon Blanc out of New Zealand — a legitimate producer that's marginally more interesting than everything else on the list. Elmaro Rosa is a local Wisconsin touch, which earns a small nod, but the overall picture is a wine program that was assembled in about fifteen minutes and hasn't been touched since.
All seven wines are available by the glass, which means the entire wine program IS the by-the-glass program. At $8–$9 a pour, the pricing won't hurt you, but there's no rotation, no seasonal thinking, and no real reason to revisit. You're getting the same seven options every single time.
Yealands Sauvignon Blanc — $8/glass
Yealands is a solid New Zealand producer that consistently over-delivers for the price point. At $8 a glass, it's the one pour on this list that actually tastes like someone made a deliberate choice.
Elmaro Rosa
Elmaro is a local Wisconsin winery, and ordering their rosé at a La Crosse bar is genuinely the most interesting thing you can do with this wine list. It won't blow your mind, but supporting a regional producer while everyone else orders a Bud Light? That's a quiet win.
CK Mondavi Moscato
CK Mondavi is the budget label from the Mondavi family — not the good one. This is bulk wine dressed up in a familiar name, and sweet Moscato at a bar rarely gets the cold pour temperature it needs to be remotely enjoyable.
Josh Cellars Cabernet + Burger
Josh Cab is crowd-pleasing, fruit-forward, and just tannic enough to stand up to a beef patty. It's not a complex pairing, but at a bar with American fare, it's the most logical match on the list.
The Bottom Line
The Old Crow is a bar first, and the wine list is an afterthought — a short, safe, supermarket-shelf lineup that'll do the job if you absolutely need a glass of something. Order a beer or a cocktail instead; this is not your wine destination.
· La Crosse · Wine Bar
The Wine Guyz earns its Wild Card badge by being something La Crosse didn't necessarily need but clearly does: a real wine bar with range, a relaxed atmosphere, and food that goes beyond bar snacks. We'd send a curious wine drinker here without hesitation — just go in ready to ask questions, since the list doesn't live online and the real program reveals itself in person.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· La Crosse · Hotel Restaurant / American
This is a wine list that exists because the hotel felt obligated to have one, not because anyone thought carefully about it. Order a beer or a cocktail and move on.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· La Crosse · Steakhouse / Smokehouse
Piggy's isn't trying to be a wine destination, and that's fine — but for a smokehouse in La Crosse, the list is fair, the pricing doesn't embarrass itself, and there are a couple of genuinely solid bottles if you know where to look. Order the Seghesio, eat the ribs, and leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · La Crosse · French-Influenced New American
For a hotel restaurant in La Crosse, The Charmant's wine list is a genuine surprise — thoughtfully assembled, fairly priced, and hiding at least two or three bottles that serious wine drinkers would seek out anywhere. Send a friend here and tell them to order the Radikon.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· La Crosse · Steakhouse / American
Freight House is a dependable steakhouse wine list — fair prices, familiar names, no nasty surprises. If you're looking for discovery, look elsewhere; if you're looking for a solid bottle to go with a good cut of meat in La Crosse, you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Onalaska · La Crosse · American / Supper-Club Style
Blue Moon is a dependable neighborhood spot that takes its wine list seriously enough to give you real options without overcomplicating things. Send a friend here if they want a lake view, a fair pour of Chianti, and no stress — just don't send them expecting adventure.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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