Colonial Charm, Wednesday Wine Night Saves You
Portsmouth · American, British
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · May 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Puddle Dock Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into The Puddle Dock feels like someone took Portsmouth's colonial history and gave it a tasteful renovation — warm wood, good lighting, the kind of room that makes you want to order a bottle and settle in. The wine list, though, is a different story: it's the menu equivalent of the room's most predictable guest. California flag planted firmly, grocery-store-adjacent names running the show.
The list reads like a California greatest hits compilation — Josh Cellars, Meiomi, Kendall-Jackson, J. Lohr, Duckhold Decoy — recognizable to anyone who's walked through a Total Wine on a Saturday afternoon. There's a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence on the wall since 2025, which points to some genuine curatorial effort, but the evidence on the bottle list skews heavily toward accessible, mass-market producers rather than anything that'll make you lean across the table. Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and La Marca Prosecco round out the international representation, which is to say, barely. If you're hunting for an Willamette Valley Pinot or a Rhône-style Grenache, you're dining at the wrong tavern.
By-the-glass specifics aren't published, but given the bottle list, expect the usual suspects poured into basic stems — a Chardonnay, a Cab, maybe a Pinot Grigio. The real move here is Wednesday's half-price wine night, which turns a steep markup situation into something actually reasonable. Come mid-week or come prepared to spend.
Duckhorn Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon — $52
At 108% markup it's the least punishing bottle on the list — and Decoy actually delivers some real structure for a California Cab. By Puddle Dock math, this is the closest thing to a deal they're offering.
J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon
Most people walk past J. Lohr assuming it's too workaday, but Seven Oaks genuinely over-delivers for a $40 restaurant price — it's a serious Paso Robles Cab that handles red meat and classic pub fare with ease. Order it with the steak frites and don't tell anyone where you heard it.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
A 220% markup on a $10 retail bottle is the kind of math that should come with an apology. At $32, you're paying for the name recognition of a wine that practically sells itself at every grocery store in New England. Hard pass.
Meiomi Pinot Noir + Fish and chips
Meiomi's soft, fruit-forward profile and low tannins don't bully the fish — it's an easy-drinking Pinot that plays nice with the salt and batter without demanding to be the center of attention. Not a transcendent pairing, but a genuinely good one for a casual night out.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night every Wednesday — the one concrete reason to plan your visit around the bottle list.
The Bottom Line
The Puddle Dock is a genuinely pleasant spot to eat in Portsmouth, and the Wednesday half-price wine night earns real goodwill — but the list itself is playing it safe with steep markups on familiar names. Come for the room, the food, and the mid-week deal; don't come expecting to discover anything.
· Portsmouth · Upscale New American
Salt Kitchen & Bar has the bones of a resort wine list built to move recognizable bottles at comfortable margins — not to educate, excite, or reward the curious drinker. If you're staying at Wentworth by the Sea and want a glass of wine with dinner, you'll find something drinkable here, but we wouldn't plan a night around the list. Order the Red Newt Riesling, tip your server well, and save the wine exploration for somewhere that's actually trying.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Seafood & American
The Oar House wine list is a workmanlike effort — short, safe, and priced fairly for what it is. If you're coming for the seafood and want a glass of Albariño or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc to go with it, you'll be well served. Just don't come here expecting to be wowed by the wine program.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Portsmouth · New American / Tapas-Style
Moxy earns its Wild Card badge not because we can confirm every pour, but because the bones of the wine program — an intentional regional focus, a menu built for wine-friendly snacking, and a room that draws people back — suggest genuine effort. If you're in Portsmouth and want something more interesting than a safe Napa Cab next to your tapas, this is worth the reservation. Come in curious, ask the staff what they're excited about, and let the list surprise you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Japanese / Sushi
Nichinan's wine list is short but earns its keep — the presence of Pieropan, Grüner Veltliner, and Henri Bourgeois Sancerre tells you someone on staff understands that sushi and Chardonnay is not the only answer. Markups are fair across the board, and the by-the-glass selection is wide enough to keep the table happy without forcing a bottle. If you're in Portsmouth and want something better than the default wine-at-a-sushi-restaurant experience, this delivers.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Italian-American
The Rosa isn't trying to reinvent the wine list — it's trying to serve its room well, and largely succeeds. Twenty-five by-the-glass options with Italian producers mixed alongside California staples makes this one of the more thoughtful pours in Portsmouth. If you're after wine-bar ambition, look elsewhere; if you want a reliable glass with your gnocchi without any drama, The Rosa delivers.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Steakhouse
The Library Restaurant is a Wine Spectator award holder that plays it very, very safe — heavy California Chardonnay, a prestige Champagne tower, and markups that favor the house. If you're here for a special occasion and want to pop a Pol Roger at $125 or a Veuve at $155, it's a fine room for that. But if you're hoping to find something unexpected or feel like the wine program is working hard for you, this list isn't going to surprise you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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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