300 Bottles Deep in Small-Town Maryland
Havre de Grace · Baltimore · New American · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed March 23, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed The Vineyard Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into what looks like a cozy neighborhood wine bar and then the list lands on the table — 300-plus labels covering California, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Australia, Argentina, and Oregon. That's not a wine list, that's a thesis. For a spot in Havre de Grace, Maryland, this thing has no business being this serious.
The list skews heavily toward California heavyweights — Opus One, Dominus, Insignia from Joseph Phelps, Turley Old Vines Zinfandel — which tells you someone here has strong Napa convictions and the buying relationships to back them up. Italy gets a real seat at the table too, with Sassicaia from Bolgheri showing up and signaling this isn't just a token Old World gesture. Australia earns its spot with Penfolds Bin 407, a reliable Cabernet that punches well above its price point. The breadth across eight-plus regions is genuinely impressive; the depth within each region is harder to verify, but the anchor bottles suggest the list was built with intent, not just populated to look full.
Eighty options by the six-ounce pour and seventy at three ounces — at $9 to $11 a glass, this is one of the better by-the-glass programs you'll find anywhere in Maryland, let alone outside a major city. The three-ounce format is smart: it lets you run through four or five wines across a dinner without committing to a bottle or blowing your budget. We'd love to know how often the selections rotate, but the sheer volume means there's almost always something interesting in the glass.
Turley Old Vines Zinfandel — $11
Turley's Old Vines Zin retails around $30-$35 a bottle, so catching it by the glass at $11 is a genuinely fair deal. It's a big, structured wine that holds up against the kitchen's heavier dishes without asking you to open a collector bottle.
Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon
Most people walk right past Australian Cabernet on a list this loaded with Napa royalty, which is a mistake. Bin 407 is one of the most consistent, well-made Cabs at its price point anywhere in the world, and it rarely gets the credit it deserves when it's sitting next to Dominus on the same menu.
Opus One
Opus One is a great wine, but it's also the most marked-up trophy bottle on lists like this everywhere in America. You're paying for the name recognition as much as what's in the glass, and at a wine bar where the whole point is discovery, there are far more interesting ways to spend that money.
Sassicaia Bolgheri DOC + Duck Breast
Sassicaia's Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc blend has the structure and dark fruit to stand up to duck's richness while the wine's natural acidity cuts through the fat. It's a classic Tuscan-meets-protein move that earns its price on a plate like this.
The Bottom Line
The Vineyard Wine Bar is doing something genuinely unexpected in a small Maryland waterfront town — running a 300-bottle list with serious producers and keeping glass pours under $11. It's not flawless, but the ambition is real and the value is hard to argue with.
· Baltimore · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão Baltimore isn't trying to be a wine destination and doesn't pretend otherwise — the list exists to serve the meat program, and it does that job adequately. If you're here for the churrasco experience, the Catena Vista Flores or the Garzón Albariño will see you through. Just don't expect discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Locust Point · Baltimore · Italian
An Italian list that leads with Campania, then works region by region through the rest of Italy. Start with the La Passera Greco di Tufo at 50 for white or the Terredora Aglianico at 48 for red, and if you want Chianti, the Banfi Riserva is 45. Prices come from the wine list linked as "Wine List 24" and post no unit, so confirm what is available. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Harbor East · Baltimore · Italian
Cinghiale's glass list is built for exploring Italy, with 23 pours, each offered in three or six ounces. Try a three-ounce Donelli Lambrusco at $4.50 or Gini Soave Classico 2024 at $6 before committing to a larger pour, then ask about the regional bottle list. Confirm the current list before ordering.
Bel Air · Baltimore · Wine Bistro / Light Bites
A glass list built for tasting around: 25 wines, each at 3 oz and 6 oz, with a much deeper bottle list behind it. Start with the $5 (3 oz) Alta Vista Vive Malbec, then switch to the Maison L'Envoyé Gamay Noir for a lighter red, and confirm current prices before you go. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks list, not service, storage or markups.
Baltimore · Baltimore · Contemporary Bistro
A long list with a steep price ladder: 56 at the bottom and 1875 at the top. Start with the Carl Graff Riesling at 62 or the Monteleone Etna Rosso at 90, and compare the libations sheet before you commit, since many of the same wines carry much lower numbers there. Prices print without units and the pages carry no date, so confirm both with your server. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
Canton · Baltimore · American, Irish, Pub
A short pub list that stays simple and tells you what each wine tastes like. Start with the Kung Fu Girl Riesling at 12 | 36 or the Simi Chardonnay at 13 | 40 next to the crab cake; the page is undated, so confirm what is pouring and ask which number is the glass. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Round Rock · New American
Whiskey Cake Round Rock isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the all-by-the-glass format keeps things approachable, the pricing is honest, and there are a couple of genuinely good pours hiding in a short list. If wine is your priority tonight, look elsewhere; if you're here for the vibe and want something decent in your glass, Chehalem and Altocedro have you covered.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Columbia · New American
Motor Supply Co. Bistro appears to put its energy into the kitchen, and that may be the right call — but three wines is not a wine program. Until this list gets a serious rethink, order a cocktail or call ahead to ask about corkage.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · New American
THREE isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that abundantly clear. If you're here for cocktails or the bar scene, you're probably in the right place — but if wine matters to you even a little, this four-item lineup isn't going to do much for you. Order the House Champagne at $5, accept the situation for what it is, and move on.
Grocery Store
Fair
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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