Wine Wednesday Saves This Cajun Gem
West New Braunfels · New Braunfels · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 6, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into a Cajun seafood spot in New Braunfels and finding Dutton Goldfield on the list is genuinely surprising. The list is short — 14 bottles — but someone clearly made real choices here rather than just calling a Sysco rep. It's punching above its weight class for this zip code.
Fourteen wines isn't a lot, but the range covers California, Oregon, Italy, Argentina, Spain, and France, which is more geographic ambition than most casual seafood joints attempt. The Cabs skew Napa-heavy — Joel Gott and Caymus anchor the red side — while the Dutton Goldfield Russian River Pinot Noir is a legitimately serious bottle that has no business being on a po'boy menu (in the best way). The Italian and Spanish picks add a little acid-friendly variety that actually makes sense next to fried seafood. The gaps are real: no white Burgundy, no Chablis, nothing that screams 'I was built for oysters,' but we're not holding that against a family-owned grill in the Texas Hill Country.
All 14 wines pour by the glass, which means zero bottle-only gatekeeping — a genuine win for tables that can't agree on red vs. white. Prices run $8–$12 a glass, which is honest money for this market. The Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio at $12 is the obvious crowd-pleaser pour, but the Decoy Pinot Noir is worth grabbing if you're feeling slightly more serious.
Dutton Goldfield Pinot Noir Russian River Valley — $60/bottle
This is a boutique Russian River producer that regularly fetches $40–$50 at retail. At $60 on a restaurant list, the markup is almost respectful — and it's the kind of bottle you'd be thrilled to find at a white-tablecloth spot, let alone a Cajun grill. On Wine Wednesday it drops to $30, which is borderline criminal in the best way.
Bodega Colome Malbec
Most people ordering Malbec at a seafood place are just falling back on a habit, but Colome is sourced from high-altitude Salta vineyards and has real structure and dark fruit without being a fruit bomb. It's the most interesting red on the list that nobody at this restaurant is ordering.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
At $85 a bottle, Caymus is doing what Caymus always does — leaning on its brand name to justify a price that well outpaces its quality ceiling. It's a fine, soft, vanilla-forward Cab, but you're paying for the label. The Dutton Goldfield is $25 cheaper and far more interesting.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio Alto Adige + Popcorn shrimp
Santa Margherita's Pinot Grigio has enough bright acidity and citrus edge to cut through the fried coating without steamrolling the sweetness of the shrimp. It's a crowd-pleasing combo that actually makes sense on the palate — light, crisp, and unfussy, just like the dish.
Wednesday — Wine Wednesday: half off all wine bottles starting at 4:00 PM every Wednesday.
🎲 The Bottom Line
The Reel isn't a wine destination, but it earns serious respect for sneaking Dutton Goldfield onto a po'boy menu and running Wine Wednesday like it means it. Come on a Wednesday, order the Pinot, and be pleasantly confused about where you are.
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Saltgrass Creekside is not a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — the list exists to sell bottles alongside steaks, and it does that competently enough. If you stick to Jordan or Stag's Leap and skip the grocery-store bottles, you'll drink fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Creekside / IH-35 Corridor · New Braunfels · American Casual
We wouldn't send anyone to BJ's Creekside specifically for the wine list — but if you're already there for the Pizookie and a Tuesday lands on your calendar, those half-price bottles are a legitimate deal. Come for the beer, and if you must drink wine, come on a Tuesday.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Creekside / I-35 Corridor · New Braunfels · Steakhouse
Saltgrass New Braunfels serves a wine list that was assembled by a committee in Houston and hasn't been questioned since. It functions — you'll find something drinkable — but if wine matters to you tonight, manage expectations before you sit down.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · New Braunfels · From-scratch American comfort food with Hill Country influences, brunch and brewery
The Root Cellar is a brewery first and a wine destination never — but the list earns its keep with fair prices, a Texas wine you should actually try, and the quietly baffling joy of prosecco on tap next to a craft IPA. Come for the biscuits, stay curious about the wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Creekside / I-35 Corridor · New Braunfels · Asian Bistro
P.F. Chang's New Braunfels isn't a wine destination, but if you know what to order, you won't be stuck drinking something bad. Stick to the by-the-glass whites, avoid the trophy-label markups, and you'll have a fine night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · New Braunfels · European-inspired tapas, bistro and wine bar
Favorite Neighbor is the Wild Card that New Braunfels didn't know it needed — a genuinely curious wine program in a town where 'wine bar' usually means a Malbec and a Pinot Grigio. If you're passing through Hill Country and want to drink something that actually required a decision to stock, stop here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · New Braunfels · Seafood
McAdoo's isn't a wine destination, but it's not pretending to be one either. The list is fair-priced and functional — order the Pinot Grigio or the Prosecco, eat your oysters, and enjoy downtown New Braunfels.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Billings · Billings · Seafood
The prices are shockingly low, and credit where it's due — but a steal on mediocre wine is still mediocre wine. Come for the Cheddar Bay Biscuits, skip the wine list, and save your real bottle for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Ambassador Caffery · Lafayette · Seafood
Bonefish Grill Lafayette isn't a wine destination, but it's not an embarrassment either — it's a reliable corporate list that plays defense, not offense. Order the Riesling, enjoy your fish, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
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.