Live Music, Decent Pours, Sardinia Surprise
St. Paul · St. Paul · Wine Bar / Music Venue · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 16, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Troubadour Wine Bar’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
A wine bar that doubles as a music venue sounds like a gimmick, but Troubadour earns its keep with 66 labels and a genuinely international by-the-glass program that goes well beyond the usual California suspects. The list opens with a confident bubbles section and doesn't immediately bore you, which is already better than most spots in this category. That said, the pricing creeps high enough that you'll want to pick your battles.
The list covers real ground — Sardinian Vermentino from Cantina Mesa, a Brouilly Gamay from Domaine des Maisons Neuves, Dolcetto from Casa E. Mirafiore, and even a 2012 Chapoutier Rimage (a Banyuls-style dessert wine) lurking on the back end. There's a Greek Moschofilero from Boutari and a Raimund Prüm Riesling that nod toward more adventurous drinkers. The red side leans heavily on familiar names — Raeburn, Oberon, Double Canyon — which feels like a missed opportunity given how interesting the rest of the list gets. Still, 66 labels at a music venue in St. Paul is more than we expected to find.
Twenty-two by-the-glass options is a serious number, and the spread across bubbles, whites, rosé, reds, and ports shows genuine intention. The M. Chapoutier Rimage at $12 a glass is a standout anchor at the dessert end. We'd love to see more rotation here — the list feels fixed rather than living — but at least there's enough variety that you're not stuck with two Chardonnays and a Merlot all night.
Casa E. Mirafiore Dolcetto d'Alba — $33
The lowest bottle price on the list and it's a real wine — Dolcetto from Piedmont, not a filler label. At $33, it's one of the few bottles here where the markup doesn't make you wince.
M. Chapoutier Rimage 2012
A 2012 Banyuls-style fortified wine by the glass for $12 is the kind of thing most people scroll past because they don't know what it is. That's their loss. Rich, dark, and complex in a way that nothing else on this list comes close to.
Oberon Chardonnay
At $56 a bottle, you're paying a steep premium for a widely distributed California Chardonnay you could find at most grocery stores for around $18-20 retail. The list has more interesting options at comparable prices.
Cantina Mesa Vermentino 'Primo Bianco' + Charcuterie Board
Sardinian Vermentino has the saline, herby brightness to cut through cured meats and fatty cheeses. It's exactly the kind of wine that makes a grazing plate feel intentional rather than an afterthought.
The Bottom Line
Troubadour is a legit Wild Card — a music venue with enough wine ambition to surprise you, held back by steep markups and a list that plays it safe on the red side. Come for the Dolcetto and the Rimage, skip the Oaky California bottles, and enjoy the show.
Mill District · St. Paul · Wine Bar / Bistro
Milly's is for the curious drinker who wants to understand wine, not just drink it, and the comparative flight format makes that happen without any lecturing. If you're in St. Paul and want to actually learn something about what's in your glass, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
· St. Paul · American / Sports-Adjacent Brasserie
Herbie's wine program is on autopilot — it gets the job done for guests who just want something familiar with their meal, but anyone who actually cares about what's in the glass should order a cocktail and move on. Send your wine-curious friends somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· St. Paul · Cafe / Pizza / Bakery
Cafe Latte is the Wild Card because nobody expects a café in St. Paul to stock Ridge and Scribe alongside a Sancerre and a Quinta de Noval Port at these prices. Go for the pizza, stay because the wine list is quietly doing something right.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· St. Paul · Wine Bar
Small Hours is the rare Minneapolis wine bar that feels like it was built for people who actually love wine, not just the idea of it. If you're showing up for a bottle and some duck leg confit with a record on in the background, you're going to have a very good night.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
St. Paul · St. Paul · Mediterranean / New American
Domacin is doing something genuinely unusual — a full by-the-glass list with real depth and fair prices — and it mostly lands. If you're in St. Paul and want to actually explore wine with dinner, this is the room to be in.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Cathedral Hill / Summit Avenue · St. Paul · Wine Bar / Retail with Food Pop-Ups
Solo Vino is the kind of wine shop that moonlights as a destination, and the tasting bar makes it worth the trip even if you don't buy a bottle — though you will. Send your wine-curious friends here before they spend the same money on something forgettable at a restaurant down the street.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
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