Wine Wednesday Saves This Cajun Gem
West New Braunfels · New Braunfels · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 6, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Reel Seafood & Grill’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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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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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Creekside / I-35 Corridor · New Braunfels · Steakhouse
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Carmel · Carmel By The Sea · Seafood
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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