All 73 wines by the ounce. Yes, really.
West Hartford · Hartford · Modern American small plates / wine bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 3, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The menu lands in your hands and the first thing you notice is that every single wine on the list is available by the ounce, half glass, or full glass — all 73 of them. That's not a gimmick, that's a philosophy. West Hartford didn't see this coming, and honestly neither did we.
The list covers both Old and New World in reds and whites, running the familiar gamut from Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to Malbec, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon blends. There's a sommelier steering this ship, and it shows — the list doesn't feel like it was assembled by a restaurant group's purchasing committee. That said, the range skews toward crowd-pleasing varietals rather than deep regional rabbit holes, so don't come expecting a Jura section or an extended Rhône exploration. Bottles top out around $190, with plenty of solid options in the middle tier.
This is where Vinted earns its reputation: the entire 73-bottle list is your by-the-glass program. The ounce-pour format means you can actually explore — taste a few things, chase a pairing, or just avoid committing to a full bottle of something you've never tried. Happy hour runs Tuesday through Saturday, 3–6pm, which turns an already approachable list into a genuinely good deal.
Pinot Gris (Gio) — $8–$15 glass
Gio's Pinot Gris hits the sweet spot on Vinted's list — a wine with real character in the glass pour range that lets you take it by the ounce if you want to test the waters first. The ounce-pour format makes this even smarter value.
Zinfandel
Zin gets dismissed by the serious-wine crowd, but on a list that leans toward accessible varietals, a well-chosen Zinfandel often represents the most interesting red in the mid-tier — and most tables walk right past it for the Cabernet.
Cabernet Sauvignon blends (top-tier bottles)
The high-end Cab blends pushing toward that $190 ceiling are the one area where you're paying a premium that the room doesn't quite justify. Save those splurges for a place with a deeper cellar story to back it up.
Malbec + Small plates charcuterie selection
Malbec's dark fruit and soft tannins play well against cured meats — and the ounce-pour format means you can dial in exactly how much you want alongside a shared board without over-committing.
Wednesday — Wine Wednesday: half-price bottles under $100, $40 off bottles over $100. Happy hour also runs Tuesday–Saturday, 3–6pm.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Vinted's ounce-pour model is the most genuinely wine-curious concept in the Hartford market, and Wine Wednesdays make an already fair list feel like a steal. Send your friends here — just make sure they know about Wednesday.
West Hartford Center · Hartford · Upscale American Seafood and Raw Bar
Max's Oyster Bar is exactly the kind of reliable wine program a seafood-focused restaurant should have — thoughtfully built around what's on the plate, staffed by people who can guide you through it. The markup keeps it from being exceptional, but if you stick to the Old World whites, you'll drink very well.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
West Hartford · Hartford · American Tavern
Tavern in the Square West Hartford is a perfectly decent place to watch a game and eat a burger, but the wine list is purely functional — familiar brands, steep markups, and zero curation. Stick to draft beer or a cocktail unless a glass of Prosecco is all you need.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Hartford · Hartford · New American / Seafood
Max's Trumbull Kitchen is a reliable wine stop elevated by a genuinely smart focus on seafood-friendly whites — just don't pay full price when you can come back on Thursday and get the whole list at half off. That changes the math considerably.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
West Hartford Center · Hartford · American / Burgers / Gastropub
Max Burger isn't a wine destination — it's a burger destination that happens to take wine seriously enough to price it fairly and run half-off Thursdays. If you're eating here anyway, you're in better shape than you think.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Blue Back Square / West Hartford · Hartford · Spanish Tapas
Boqueria West Hartford won't surprise wine geeks, but it delivers a coherent, fairly priced Spanish list that genuinely serves the food. If you're eating tapas and drinking well, this is a solid neighborhood call.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Blue Back Square / West Hartford · Hartford · Steakhouse, American
Fleming's West Hartford is a reliable, polished steakhouse wine program that does exactly what it sets out to do — pour well-known California wines in a nice glass to people who are already spending $60 on a steak. Just don't expect to discover anything, and watch the markup on the big names.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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