San Diego's Most Adventurous Glass of Wine
San Diego · Wine bar + global small plates · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · October 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed WetStone Wine Bar & Cafe’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at WetStone reads like someone handed a serious European importer a bar tab and said go nuts. Georgian amber wines aged in qvevri, an Elbling from the Mosel, a Xinomavro from Naoussa — this is not the list you expect to find in San Diego. It's compact at 27 labels but punches well above its weight class.
The white and amber section is where WetStone really earns its stripes. Two distinct Rkatsiteli expressions from Askaneli — one a qvevri amber, one the True Vine version — sit alongside a Pajzos Furmint from Tokaj and a Weingut Fürst Elbling Trocken from the Mosel, a grape most American wine drinkers have never encountered. The red lineup covers Xinomavro, Sankt Laurent, Malbec, Carmenere, Cahors, and a Portuguese Alicante Bouschet, which is an impressive sweep of obscure-but-legitimate reds. The one soft spot: there's no real depth in Burgundy, Barolo, or Champagne territory, but that's clearly a deliberate choice, not an oversight — this list is chasing the curious, not the conventional.
Twenty-five of the 27 bottles are available by the glass, which is an almost unheard-of commitment for a list this eclectic. Prices run $10–$18 per glass, with most landing in the $14–$16 range — very reasonable for wines this off the beaten path. Rotation isn't documented, but the sheer volume of glass pours means you can explore properly without committing to a full bottle.
The Bottom Line
WetStone is doing something genuinely uncommon — building a short, globe-spanning list full of grapes and regions that most wine bars won't touch, and pricing it fairly enough that you can actually explore. Staff confidence is an unknown variable, and the lack of documented specials or events means you're mostly on your own to navigate it. But if you show up curious and willing to ask questions, this list will reward you.
North Park · San Diego · Seafood-focused, gin and vermouth bar with Iberian/Spanish and Californian influences
A mostly Spanish and Portuguese wine sheet with a few California bottles, sparkling at the top, and two López de Heredia Riojas in the reds. Order the Monte Pio Albariño with the mussels escabeche, or the Maturana Blanca if you want something less obvious, and ask which number is the glass because the sheet doesn't say. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups. The restaurant labels its menu as an example from February 2026, so confirm current availability.
Del Mar · San Diego · Seasonal New American with Sushi Lounge
A fifteen-pour glass list sits on top of a very long bottle list that runs from Chablis and Jura Chardonnay to Burgundy Grand Crus and Napa Cabernet. For a glass, start with the Saint-Véran at $24 or the Vocal Pinot Noir at $28; for a bottle, look at the Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico 2022 at $70, and confirm current prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Little Italy · San Diego · Classic American Steakhouse
A very long bottle book with Napa Cabernet, Burgundy and Champagne at the high end, and a glass page that keeps still wines at $14 to $35. Start with the $35 Fantino Barolo by the glass, or a $160 Silver Oak with the ribeye, and confirm prices before you go. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Gaslamp Quarter · San Diego · Steakhouse
A 36-wine glass list with labeled 6oz and 9oz pours and a dedicated group of seven Napa Cabernets. Order the Beringer Cabernet (6oz $15) for value, or the Faust "Liberation" (6oz $24) with the 12 oz. Filet Mignon, and confirm the current menu before you go. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not the bottle list, service, storage or markups.
Little Italy · San Diego · Italian
A real wine list with Italian reds as its backbone and a glass page that starts at $12. Start with the $15 Vicari Verdicchio by the glass, or take the $48 Coppi Primitivo by the bottle if you want a red. Prices come from a PDF linked as WineListDec2025, so confirm them tonight. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· San Diego · Coastal Italian / Seafood
A 19-wine Mediterranean list that goes well past France and Italy, so use it. Order the La Ferme Rouge house white (14 | 56) to start, then try the Testament Babić (18 | 72) with the Dalmatia Black Risotto, and ask which number on each line is the glass. This unrated guide covers the posted wine page, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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