Historic Maryland Inn With a Serious Cellar
Taneytown · Taneytown · American, French · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Antrim 1844 feels like someone preserved a 19th-century Maryland estate and then quietly loaded the cellar with 400+ bottles of serious wine. The list arrives with the kind of weight that signals intent — this isn't a hotel restaurant that phoned in the wine program. They've held a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence since 1999, and the list earns it.
The core of the list is a California-Bordeaux-Rhône triangle, executed with real conviction. You'll find Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, and Far Niente anchoring the California side, while Chateau Margaux and the broader Bordeaux section give the old-world crowd something to actually get excited about. The Rhône representation — including E. Guigal's Côte-Rôtie — is the quiet strength of the list, and Italy shows up properly with Antinori Tignanello and Sassicaia sitting alongside solid Burgundy from Louis Jadot. The one gap: if you're hunting natural wine or anything off the beaten path, this list won't scratch that itch.
Sixteen to twenty-four options by the glass is a genuinely respectable spread for a property of this size and formality. We'd push the staff on what's rotating — with a cellar this deep, the glass list has real potential to punch above its weight. Ask Greg Watson what he's pouring right now; that conversation is worth having.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $45
Jordan consistently overdelivers for the price category — it's a crowd-pleaser in the best sense, with enough structure to handle a filet without embarrassing itself. Entry point to the California Cab section that won't make your eyes water.
E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie
Most tables at a place like this reach for California Cab by reflex. The Guigal Côte-Rôtie is where the list actually gets interesting — Northern Rhône Syrah with that signature olive and smoked meat character that plays perfectly in a smokehouse setting. Dramatically underordered.
Opus One
Opus One is fine wine, but it's also the most marked-up bottle on lists like this everywhere in America. You're paying a celebrity premium at a restaurant markup on top of an already inflated retail price. The Tignanello or Guigal will drink better dollar-for-dollar.
Antinori Tignanello + Filet Mignon
Tignanello's blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet brings enough dark fruit and acidity to cut through the richness of a well-executed filet. It's also just a great excuse to order one of the better Italian bottles on the list in a room where everyone else is drinking Napa.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Antrim 1844 is the rare countryside inn where the wine list is genuinely worth the drive — deep cellar, a real sommelier in Greg Watson, and a list that spans California to Rhône with conviction. Markups are hotel-restaurant steep, so pick your spots, but the bones here are excellent.
Huntly · Huntly · American, French
Houndstooth is the kind of place you'd never stumble across, which is exactly why we're telling you about it. Drive out, let someone else drive back, and let the list do the work.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Huntington Beach · Huntington Beach · American, French
Henry's is a reliable, well-tended California wine program with a genuine expert behind it — not flashy, but consistently good. If you're eating on PCH and want a bottle that was actually chosen with care, this is your spot.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
West Fargo · West Fargo · American, French
Maxwells is the kind of wine program that earns real respect in context — a thoughtfully stocked, sommelier-guided list in a city where 'wine program' often means a Merlot and a Pinot Grigio. If you're passing through West Fargo or lucky enough to live there, this is where you drink.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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