Great Pasta, Forgot to Try on the Wine
Downtown / Broadway · Saratoga Springs · Italian-American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 20, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Wheatfields Restaurant & Bar Saratoga Springs’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Wheatfields reads like the grab-and-go shelf at a mid-tier grocery store — Barefoot, Woodbridge, Apothic, Cavit. It's a greatest hits compilation of wines you recognize from a gas station cooler, which is fine if that's what you're here for, but it signals pretty clearly that wine is an afterthought in a room that takes its pasta seriously.
Roughly 30-40 wines is a modest list for a downtown Broadway restaurant that sees real foot traffic, especially during racing season when the town is flush with people ready to spend. The regional representation skews heavily California commercial — Kendall-Jackson, Meiomi, Apothic — with token nods to Italy via Ruffino Prosecco and Cavit Pinot Grigio. There's no visible presence of New York state producers, which is a missed opportunity given how strong the Finger Lakes scene has become. Sangría makes two appearances on the list, which tells you everything you need to know about the ambition level here.
Twenty-four by-the-glass options sounds impressive until you realize most of them are mass-market brands priced at $8-$11 a pop. The sheer number of pours doesn't translate to range or excitement — it's the same handful of varietals repeated across familiar commercial labels. There's no visible rotation or seasonal program to speak of.
Ruffino Prosecco — $9/glass
At $9 a glass it's the least offensive markup on the list — roughly 3.6x retail — and Ruffino Prosecco is at least a recognizable, drinkable Italian sparkler. If you're going to order wine here, start with a bubble and call it a night.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
Calling anything on this list a hidden gem feels generous, but K-J Vintner's Reserve is a genuinely consistent, well-made Chardonnay that most people snob past. It's not exciting, but it's reliably clean and food-friendly — and at $10 a glass it's the best QPR on the white wine side.
Barefoot Moscato
Eight dollars for a glass of Barefoot Moscato — a wine that retails for $7 a full bottle — is a 642% markup and an insult to your wallet. This is the worst value on the list, full stop. Skip it.
Meiomi Pinot Noir + Fresh-made pasta with marinara
Meiomi is soft, fruit-forward, and low enough in tannin that it won't fight with a bright tomato sauce. It's not a sophisticated pairing, but it's an honest one — and at a place where the pasta is the real star, keeping the wine out of the way is actually the right call.
Monday–Friday (and all day Sunday, seasonal) — 50% off all bar beverages during Happy Hour, Monday through Friday 3–7pm. All-day Sunday Happy Hour returns mid-September.
The Bottom Line
Come to Wheatfields for the house-made pasta — it earns its reputation. But the wine list is a lazy lineup of commercial brands at steep markups, and no one on staff is going to steer you toward anything interesting. Grab a glass of Prosecco during happy hour (50% off Monday through Friday, 3-7pm) and redirect your wine energy somewhere else in town.
Downtown · Saratoga Springs · Casual Italian
Wheatfields is a reliable neighborhood Italian stop, and the wine list does exactly what it needs to — it covers the room without taking any risks. The Dr. Konstantin Frank Riesling and the Louis Jadot Mâcon Village are the two picks worth seeking out; everything else is competent filler at markups that could be friendlier. If you want to drink well here, order by the glass and go off the beaten path.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · Winery Bistro
Thirsty Owl Saratoga is a single-producer concept that leans all the way in, and if you're curious about Finger Lakes wines in a comfortable dining setting, it's a genuinely good place to learn the range. The wild card badge fits: you won't find the usual suspects here, but that's exactly the point. Go in knowing what you're signing up for and you'll walk out pleasantly educated.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · Italian / Pizzeria
Village Pizzeria's wine list is a pleasant surprise for a Saratoga Springs Italian spot — fair prices, a serious BTG count, and enough Italian-regional picks to reward the curious. It's not a destination wine list, but if you order the Lugana or the Vermentino instead of the default Pinot Grigio, you'll drink well without overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · New American / Fine Dining
Morgan & Co. has built a wine list that respects its guests without overcharging them — fair pricing, a meaningful by-the-glass selection, and enough off-the-beaten-path picks to reward the curious. It's not a destination wine list, but if you're in Saratoga Springs and want a reliable bottle alongside a fine dining meal, you're in good hands. Go for the Sancerre, take a flyer on the Falanghina, and let someone else order the Rombauer.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · Italian
Noah's Italian made a bold structural call — every wine by the glass, no exceptions — and the Italian-focused selection backs it up with real producers like Ratti, Tornatorre, and Buglioni rather than the usual suspects. We don't know what's on the plate or who's pouring, but on the strength of the wine list alone, this is worth a visit if you're in Saratoga Springs and want to drink Italian wine without committing to a full bottle.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · Winery tasting room / light bites
Adirondack Winery isn't trying to be a destination wine list — it's a tasting room that wants you to leave with a bottle of something you didn't know was made in New York. The pricing is genuinely fair across all 36 labels, the Baco Noir and Cab Franc give curious drinkers something worth lingering on, and the Meritage 2019 at $44.99 tops out the range without gouging anyone. If you're passing through the Lake George area and curious about what northeastern New York actually grows, this is worth the stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Kansas City · Kansas City · Italian-American
A glass list that fits an Italian menu: 24 wines from $8 to $13, with Barolo, Amarone and Brunello available by the bottle. Start with the $8 Capasoldo Pinot Grigio, or the $13 Banfi Chianti Riserva if you are ordering the Veal Parmigiana, and confirm current prices. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks list, not service, storage or markups.
Old Mill District · Bend · Italian-American
This is a pasta-house list with a wide Italian and Oregon spread: bottles start at $36 and 14 wines come by the glass. Start with the Pastini Rosso at $9.25 for 6oz or the La Quercia Montepulciano at $10, and save Elk Cove ($60) for when you want to splurge on a Willamette Pinot. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups, and the list is undated, so confirm what is available.
Brady Street · Milwaukee · Italian-American
A friendly, easy list for a pasta-and-pizza room: 19 pours by the glass from $7 to $13, plus bottles from $36 to $90. Start with the $7 Wollersheim Prairie Fumé, or get the $10 Banfi Chianti Superiore with a bowl of Pomodoro, and confirm prices because the page is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, 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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