The Old Vinings Inn

The wine list at The Old Vinings Inn is longer than you'd expect from a neighborhood restaurant — 56 bottles and 42 by-the-glass options is no small commitment. What jumps out immediately is how aggressively glass-pour-forward this program is: almost everything on the list has a by-the-glass option, which is either generous or a sign that they want you spending by the stem rather than the bottle. The producer names read like a reliable Greatest Hits album — Caymus, Silver Oak, Rombauer — crowd-pleasers all the way down.

This is a California-forward list with a heavy lean on familiar names from Sonoma and Napa: Flowers Chardonnay, Dutton-Goldfield, Cuvaison, La Crema, Ferrari-Carano, Faust, Freemark Abbey, and Leviathan all make appearances. There's a respectable sparkling section that punches above its weight — Pol Roger Brut at $139, Bollinger Special Cuvée at $100, and Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé at $170 signal that someone is paying attention to the fizz category. The international presence is thin: a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (Urlar), a Chilean Cab (Marques Casa Concha), and an Argentine Malbec or two don't add much texture to what is otherwise a safe, American-centric selection. Half bottles are listed as a category, which is a thoughtful touch for a restaurant crowd that wants variety without committing to a full pour.

Forty-two by-the-glass options is a staggering number for a non-wine-bar setting, and the range covers sparkling, white, rosé, and red with reasonable breadth. Entry-level pours start at $10 (Prince De Richmont Blanc de Blanc) and climb to $16 for the Highlands 41 Pinot Noir, which keeps things accessible. The glass program skews toward approachable brands — Kendall Jackson, Cannonball, Sonoma Cutrer — rather than anything adventurous, but the sheer volume means most guests will find something comfortable.