Bentonville's Solid Pour for the Hungry Crowd
· Bentonville · Gastropub / New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed September 13, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Tusk & Trotter American Brasserie’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list at Tusk & Trotter reads like a greatest hits of approachable wine picks — nothing that's going to make a collector's pulse race, but nothing that's going to embarrass you either. At 30 labels with a staggering 25 available by the glass, this place is clearly built for drinking, not collecting. The bottle price ceiling of $85 keeps the room democratic, and that's not a bad thing in downtown Bentonville.
The red side leans heavily on California and familiar French southern varieties — Cabernet Sauvignon in two or three expressions, a Syrah from Chile (Escudo), a Merlot (Drumheller), and a BloodRoot Pinot Noir rounding out the softer side. Whites follow the same logic: two Pinot Grigios, a trio of Chardonnays, and a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (Taonga) cover the crowd-pleaser bases without taking any real risks. The Italian white blend from Barrachi — the O'lilla — is the most interesting thing on the white side, and the Cacciata Toscana at $36 gives the reds a hint of Old World credibility. Don't come here expecting aged Burgundy or esoteric Jura finds, but there's nothing on this list that should actively disappoint a normal person at a restaurant.
Twenty-five by-the-glass options on a 30-bottle list is a genuinely impressive ratio — nearly the whole cellar is open to you without committing to a bottle. Glass pours run $7 to $14, which is refreshingly honest pricing for a sit-down brasserie. The sparkling by-the-glass situation is particularly strong, with a Cellier Frizzante available at $9 and a couple of non-alcoholic options for the sober-curious table.
Silver Gate Cabernet Sauvignon — $21
At $21 a bottle, this is the no-brainer on the list. It's priced like a grocery store pickup but sitting on a restaurant wine list — order it without guilt, especially if you're splitting a bottle mid-week.
Barrachi O'lilla White Blend
Most tables at a gastropub are going to reach for the Chardonnay or the Pinot Grigio without a second glance, but the O'lilla from Barrachi is the most interesting white pour on the menu. Italian white blends get ignored constantly, and at $39 this one deserves more attention than it's probably getting.
Castellani Pinot Grigio
At $42 a bottle, this is twice the price of the Altavilla Pinot Grigio with no clear reason to pay the premium. The Altavilla does the same job at $21. Unless someone at the table has very strong Castellani feelings, save the money.
BloodRoot Pinot Noir + Pork dish (per the Tusk & Trotter brasserie concept)
A brasserie built around the pig is exactly the right home for a lighter-bodied Pinot Noir. BloodRoot's earthiness and red fruit don't fight the richness of pork — they frame it. At $42 it's not a steal, but it's the right call.
The Bottom Line
Tusk & Trotter isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's doing the honest work of keeping the glass full at fair prices with a by-the-glass program that almost any table can navigate. Send a friend here for dinner without worrying about the wine — just tell them to skip the Castellani.
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Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bentonville · Champagne & wine bar
Muselet is a genuine anomaly — a focused, knowledgeable Champagne bar in northwest Arkansas with grower producers, subregion organization, and pricing that doesn't punish you for caring about wine. If you're anywhere near Bentonville, this is the stop. If you're not near Bentonville, it might be worth reconsidering your route.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bentonville · Cafe & Wine Bar
The Meteor is exactly the kind of wine-forward wild card that Bentonville didn't know it needed — it's not trying to be a serious wine destination, but it's trying harder than most places its size, and that counts for something. Send a friend here for a casual glass before dinner, not for a deep-dive cellar experience.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bentonville · New American / Seasonal
Conifer is doing something genuinely unusual for Arkansas: a tightly curated, white-wine-forward list with real range and fair pricing. If you're used to restaurants treating wine as an afterthought, this one will catch you off guard in the best way.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bentonville · New American / Wine Bar
Bar Cleeta is the kind of wine bar that shouldn't exist in Bentonville, Arkansas — and yet here it is, pouring Silvaner and Catarratto by the glass at prices that don't insult you. Send your adventurous friends here without hesitation.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bentonville · New American
The Hive is doing more with a wine list than most restaurants in markets twice the size of Bentonville — fair prices, genuine range, and a Champagne section that earns respect. If you're in NW Arkansas and care about what's in your glass, this is your spot.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Stockton · Gastropub / New American
Market Tavern is doing more with a wine list than most gastropubs bother to attempt, especially in a market like Stockton. Send a friend here who wants a serious white wine without a serious bill.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Cannon Street · Poughkeepsie · Gastropub / New American
The Dutch Crown won't blow your mind, but it'll treat you right — especially if you steer toward the New York producers and ignore the filler. For a gastropub in the Hudson Valley, this is a wine list that's actually trying, and that's worth showing up for.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Town Temecula · Temecula · Gastropub / New American
PUBlic House isn't a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — but the pricing is fair, the pours are available across the board, and a couple of genuinely decent bottles hide among the crowd-pleasers. Come for the pub food, drink the Substance Pinot or the B. Leighton, and call it a win.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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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