Vermont's Nautical Institution Hides Serious Wine Chops
South Burlington · Burlington · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You walk into a seafood institution that's been anchored in South Burlington since before most of Vermont's wine bars existed, and the wine list is... actually pretty good? The nautical décor doesn't scream serious wine program, but the 60-plus bottle list and a Cruvinet preservation system out back tell a different story.
The list leans into a comfortable triangle of Napa, Burgundy, and Alsace — not adventurous, but executed with some real intention. You've got Albert Bichot Chablis and Trimbach Riesling holding down the French flank with credibility, while the Napa side runs from workhorses like Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet up to the Post & Beam by Far Niente, which is a genuinely ambitious pour for a South Burlington seafood joint. Two Vermont labels — Shelburne Vineyards Lake View and Snow Farm's Snow White — show local pride without feeling tokenistic. The gaps are predictable: don't come looking for anything from Spain, Italy south of Tuscany, or anywhere remotely natural.
About 15 staple pours cover the usual ground, but the real story is the Cruvinet system, which lets the kitchen open higher-end bottles without losing them to oxidation. That means you can actually order a proper glass of something like the Post & Beam Napa Cabernet without committing to a full bottle — a real advantage at a place where one person at the table wants red and the other wants white with their lobster.
Trimbach Riesling 2020 — null
Trimbach is one of Alsace's most reliable names, and Riesling at a seafood restaurant is basically a cheat code. If the price is in the neighborhood of what this wine retails for, it's the smartest order on the list — especially against anything from the sea.
Shelburne Vineyards Lake View 2020
Most people here are going to reach for California or France, and that's exactly why you should order this. Shelburne Vineyards is quietly one of the better producers in Vermont, and ordering local in a state where wine tourism is still finding its footing feels like getting in early on something real.
Belle Glos 'Dairyman' Pinot Noir 2021
Belle Glos is wildly popular and wildly marked up everywhere it appears. It's a heavily extracted, oak-forward Pinot that's more Instagram than Burgundy, and at restaurant prices you can almost certainly do better on this list.
Albert Bichot Chablis 2022 + Lobster
Chablis and lobster is one of those combinations that feels like it was designed in a lab. The wine's lean minerality and citrus cut through the butter without fighting the sweetness of the meat. Bichot is a solid Chablis producer, and this is the no-brainer order when lobster hits the table.
🎲 The Bottom Line
The Windjammer shouldn't have a wine list this thoughtful, and yet here we are. It's not going to wow a serious collector, but for a reliable seafood dinner in South Burlington with a Cruvinet keeping your glass honest, it punches well above its zip code.
Waterfront · Burlington · Craft Brewery with Bar Snacks
Foam is a brewery first, but the wine program punches way above its weight class — it's small, local, and priced like they actually want you to drink it. If you're on Burlington's waterfront and want something interesting in your glass that isn't a hazy IPA, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American with Vegan Options
The Daily Planet isn't a wine destination, but it has the instincts of one — a thoughtful natural wine pick, Monday half-price bottles, and fair pricing in a casual room that doesn't take itself too seriously. Send a friend here on a Monday and tell them to ask about the orange wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American Bistro
The Gryphon is a reliable neighborhood bistro with a wine list that matches its ambitions exactly: familiar, functional, and forgettable. Come for the burgers and brick walls, but don't expect the wine to be the highlight of your night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · Neapolitan wood-fired pizza and Italian cuisine
Pizzeria Verità isn't trying to be a wine destination and it doesn't need to be — it's a smart, Italy-focused list with honest markups and a few genuinely interesting bottles tucked in among the crowd-pleasers. Go for the pizza, order the Nebbiolo or the Cirò, and leave happy.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Church Street Marketplace · Burlington · Upscale American Steakhouse
EB Strong's has a wine list that does the job well and occasionally surprises you — especially if you look past the Caymus and dig into the European picks. Wednesday's half-price bottle program makes it one of the better wine-value nights in Burlington, full stop.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Burlington · Seasonal New American, farm-to-table
Hen of the Wood Burlington is the rare restaurant where the wine list is as considered as the food, and that's saying something when the kitchen is this good. If you're driving through Vermont and care about what's in your glass, this is worth a reservation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
North Lakeland · Lakeland · Seafood
Red Lobster's wine list does its job in the narrowest possible sense — it gives people something to drink. But there's no value play here, no curiosity, no effort. Order the cocktail or a beer and spend your wine money somewhere that earned it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Polk Parkway / South Lakeland · Lakeland · Seafood
Bonefish Grill Lakeland won't blow any wine enthusiast's mind, but it's a functional, inoffensive list with a social hour that softens the markup sting enough to make it worthwhile. Come for the Bang Bang Shrimp, grab a glass of Chandon, and set your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
West New Braunfels · New Braunfels · Seafood
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.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
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