True Chesapeake Oyster Co.

You're sitting in a converted mill on the Jones Falls River, a smokestack looming overhead, a plate of freshly shucked Chesapeake oysters on the way — and then the wine list lands and it's actually good. Not hotel-lobby good, not tourist-trap good: genuinely considered, with a focus on France and Maryland that fits the room perfectly. This is a seafood spot that hired a real sommelier and let him cook.

Zack Mills has built a list in the 75-100 bottle range that punches above its weight by staying disciplined. France anchors the cellar — Domaine Weinbach Alsace Riesling and Pierre-Henri Morel Condrieu are serious picks that signal intent — while Domaine Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc gives the list some Burgundy credibility without requiring a second mortgage. The Maryland section earns its place rather than just waving the local flag: Black Ankle Vineyards and Elk Run Vineyards Chardonnay both belong on a list this good. The one gap is depth beyond France and Maryland — if you want to explore further afield, you'll hit the edges fast.

Twelve to eighteen pours by the glass is a generous spread for a restaurant this size, and the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie appearing in the lineup is a minor masterstroke — briny, lean, and basically made for raw oysters. We'd expect the glass list to rotate with the seasons, though we couldn't confirm an active rotation program. Still, even a static version of this glass list is better than what most seafood spots in Baltimore are pouring.