Great Pasta, Forgot to Try on the Wine
Downtown / Broadway · Saratoga Springs · Italian-American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 20, 2026
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 →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
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.
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
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Solid Range
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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This is the wine list equivalent of unlimited breadsticks — comforting, familiar, and not something you'd brag about to anyone. Come for the pasta, order a cocktail, or bring your own bottle if they'll let you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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