Neighborhood Pub Wine That Actually Makes Sense
Madison Park · Seattle · Pub · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed April 9, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed The White Swan Public House’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at The White Swan doesn't try to be something it isn't — and that's genuinely refreshing. It's a pub list built for pub people: compact, approachable, and priced like someone actually thought about it. You're not going to find a verticals section or a grower Champagne, but you're also not getting gouged on a Tuesday night burger run.
The list leans French with a smattering of Pacific Northwest representation — Lorelle Pinot Grigio from Washington and Resplendent Chardonnay from Oregon show some local awareness. The bubbles section is notably stacked for a neighborhood pub, featuring Gerard Bertrand Brut, Gerard Bertrand Brut Rosé, Nicolas Feuillatte, and Chandon. Beyond the sparklers, depth is limited, but what's here fits the room. Don't come looking for a Burgundy deep-dive; do come knowing your glass won't embarrass you.
At least five pours in the $10–$14 range, which is honestly solid for a Madison Park pub in 2024. The Gerard Bertrand options by the glass are standouts — both hovering around $14 with markups that barely register as markups. Rotation doesn't seem aggressive, but the baseline selections do the job.
Resplendent Chardonnay OR NV — $14
This one is practically at retail — they're charging $14 for a bottle that runs $15 at your local shop. By the glass at a pub? That's a deal you take without overthinking it.
Gerard Bertrand Brut Rosé FR NV
Most people walk into a pub and order a pint. Order this instead. It's a solid French bubbly rosé at $14 a glass with a retail of $22 — the markup is almost nothing, and it cuts right through a plate of fish and chips.
Nicolas Feuillatte Brut FR NV
At $65 a bottle against a $35 retail price, this is the one spot where The White Swan loses the plot. Nicolas Feuillatte is perfectly decent supermarket Champagne — charging nearly double retail for it feels opportunistic when everything else on this list is so reasonably priced.
Gerard Bertrand Brut Rosé FR NV + Fish and Chips
The acidity and bubble in the Brut Rosé scrub the batter grease clean between bites. It's the kind of pairing that doesn't need explanation — it just works, and you'll feel clever for ordering it.
The Bottom Line
The White Swan isn't a wine destination, but it's a pub that respects wine enough to price it fairly and stock something better than the usual suspects. If you're in Madison Park and want a decent glass with your burger without getting robbed, this is your spot.
Downtown · Seattle · Brazilian Churrascaria
The real headline here is the half-price South American bottles — available Monday through Thursday, all day, on bottles under $150 — which turns a polished steakhouse into a legitimately reasonable wine night. The list won't excite anyone who came for the wine, but if you came for the meat and want a solid regional bottle at a fair price, this deal is worth planning around.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Active Program
Acceptable
Ballard · Seattle · Italian
A short, Italian-leaning list with most of its bottles in the Old World red section. Order the $11 Montepulciano by the glass, or the $69 Travaglini Gattinara if you want to splurge a little, and confirm prices on the day. This unrated guide covers the posted wine menus, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Seattle · Pacific Northwest / New American
A hotel wine list with a Pacific Northwest page up front, Champagne, Bordeaux and Italian sections behind it, and a separate glass list on the drink menu. Start with the $12 Treveri Blanc de Blancs at happy hour or the Mark Ryan 'Goldfinch Tavern Red Blend', and check the current list before you go, since the restaurant says menus are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list and drink menu, not service, storage or markups.
Lake Union · Seattle · Steakhouse
A long, Northwest-first steakhouse list with plenty of bottles under $100 as well as a $300-to-$550 tier of Leonetti and Quilceda Creek Cabernets. Start with the $20 Five Star Cellars “Prime” Cabernet by the glass, or the same wine at $55 on the bottle pages, and confirm prices because the list says vintages and availability change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Capitol Hill · Seattle · Italian
An all-Italian list that is easy to navigate: 11 wines by the glass from $13 to $30, a bottle list sorted by region, and $8 house wine during Apericena. Order the Soave at $13 or the $17 Kerner by the glass, or the Villa Venti Sangiovese with the tagliatelle al ragu, and confirm prices because the page says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Central District · Seattle · Seafood
A mostly natural, mostly French bottle list that stretches from $60 Muscadet to a $455 Champagne, with a deep run of Jura, Savoie and Loire bottles. Start with the $60 Hautplanty Muscadet or the $72 Laurent Herlin Cabernet Franc, and ask about the list’s ◆ and ◉ key if you want help choosing between classic and wild. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
Monroe Avenue / OSU · Corvallis · Pub
McMenamins On Monroe is not a wine destination — it's a pub that does wine responsibly and without embarrassment. Send a friend here if they want something decent by the glass without a markup hangover, but tell them to save their Willamette Valley deep-dive for somewhere with more ambition.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Iowa City · Pub
Micky's is a great Irish pub — for Guinness, whiskey, and a Reuben at midnight. The wine program is an afterthought dressed up as a menu section, and nobody on either side of the bar is pretending otherwise. Order the beer.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Uptown · Columbus · Pub
The Rail Pub is not here to advance your wine education, and that's fine — it's a pub, it sells beer, and the wine list exists as an afterthought for the table that didn't want beer. Order the J. Lohr if you need a glass of something real; otherwise, get a pint and stop looking at the wine menu.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
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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