Bentonville's Solid Pour for the Hungry Crowd
· Bentonville · Gastropub / New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Tusk & Trotter American Brasserie’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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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.
West Walnut / Retail corridor · Bentonville · Seafood and American
Bonefish Grill Rogers is not a wine destination, but it's not a disaster either — the list is safe, the glass pours are plentiful, and you won't feel cheated if you stick to the by-the-glass options. Send a friend here for the Bang Bang Shrimp; tell them to manage their wine expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Rainbow Curve / I-49 Corridor · Bentonville · Italian
The Bertani Amarone and Col d'Orcia Brunello sitting on this list are like finding a Rolex in a vending machine — impressive that they exist, but the surrounding context makes the whole thing feel absurd. Come for the pasta, drink the Chianti Classico, and lower your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northwest Bentonville · Bentonville · Steakhouse / BBQ
Fred's Hickory Inn is worth the trip for the smoke and the history — the wine list is not the reason you come. Order the barbecue, drink whatever's cold, and save the serious bottle for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Crystal Bridges Museum Area · Bentonville · Modern American Comfort / High South
Eleven is a museum restaurant that knows its audience and plays to it — the wine list is competent, slightly overpriced, and will keep almost everyone happy without exciting anyone. Come for the view and the tasting menu events; just don't expect the wine program to match the art on the walls.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
8th Street Market / Arts District · Bentonville · Café / Multi-concept
This is not a wine destination — it's a coffee bar attached to an art space that happens to have a short, thoughtful wine list. If you're doing the Momentary and want a glass while you wander the galleries, you'll drink better here than the setting suggests.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Square · Bentonville · Italian
Tavola Trattoria isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it has enough going on — solid Italian depth, fair pricing, reasonable glass options — to earn your business on a date night in Bentonville. Stick to the classics and let the balcony do the rest.
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
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