Spanish fire, serious wine, Northwest D.C.
Washington · Spanish · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Xiquet by Danny Lledó’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list at Xiquet reads like a love letter to the Iberian Peninsula — Ribera del Duero heavyweights, Rioja gran reservas, and a few curveballs from Bierzo and Málaga that tell you someone here actually cares. It's not a massive list, but it's focused in a way that big sprawling books rarely are. You're here for Spanish wine, and they're not letting you forget it.
Spain dominates, as it should — Vega Sicilia Unico, Pingus, and Álvaro Palacios L'Ermita anchor the prestige end, while Raúl Pérez Ultreia from Bierzo and Telmo Rodríguez's Molino Real from Málaga show genuine curiosity beyond the headline appellations. France gets a respectable cameo with Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, and California shows up via Kistler Chardonnay, giving the list some familiar footing for guests who aren't ready to go full Iberian. The Portuguese nod — Niepoort Redoma from the Douro — is a smart bridge between the two peninsulas. Gaps exist: if you're hunting for natural wine or anything adventurous outside Spain and France, you'll come up empty.
Twelve to twenty pours is a generous window for a restaurant this focused, and the $14–$22 range keeps things accessible without feeling like you're drinking the bottom shelf. We'd expect the by-the-glass program to lean on the same Spanish backbone as the bottle list, which is exactly what you want when the kitchen is firing up paella and grilled squid. Rotation intel is thin, but with four sommeliers on staff, someone is paying attention.
CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva (Rioja) — $12–$250 range
CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva is one of Rioja's most consistent overperformers — classic structure, real aging, and a name that doesn't carry the trophy-wine markup of its neighbors on this list. In a room full of Vega Sicilia and Pingus, it's the bottle that quietly wins the night.
Telmo Rodríguez Molino Real (Málaga)
Málaga is one of Spain's most overlooked wine regions, and Molino Real is its finest ambassador — a sweet, oxidative Moscatel that most tables walk right past. If you're finishing dinner and want something that won't bore you, this is the move.
Álvaro Palacios L'Ermita (Priorat)
L'Ermita is genuinely one of Spain's great wines, but at a restaurant markup it's the kind of bottle that makes your credit card wince without giving you anything you couldn't get elsewhere at retail. Save it for a special occasion at a wine shop.
Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva (Rioja) + Paella
Prado Enea's earthy, slow-aged Tempranillo has the savory depth and dried-herb character to match the smoky, saffron-forward intensity of Xiquet's paella without competing with it. It's a classic Rioja-rice play that the kitchen was basically built for.
The Bottom Line
Xiquet is doing something genuinely rare in D.C. — a tightly edited, Spain-first wine program inside a room that actually earns it. Four sommeliers and a Wood Spectator Award of Excellence since 2023 confirm this isn't an accident; just know you're paying for the setting as much as the bottle.
Washington · Washington · Seafood
Oceanaire is a safe, well-executed wine destination for California Chardonnay lovers who want reliable bottles with their seafood without too many surprises. Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence since 2017 is well-earned for what it is — just know this list was built for comfort, not adventure.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Georgetown · Washington · French
Lutèce is a strong place to explore French wine with a firm budget in mind. The posted list runs from a $64 Southern Rhône red to $600 Champagne, so tell Chris Ray what you want to spend and let that guide the conversation. Confirm prices and availability when you book or arrive.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Washington, DC · Washington · Steakhouse
STK DC is a vibe restaurant that treats wine as an accessory, not a feature. If you're here for the scene, the cocktails will serve you better than the list ever will.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Middle Eastern / North African
Maydan's wine list is one of the most geographically coherent and genuinely adventurous in Washington, DC — it matches the kitchen's ambition and then some. If you're willing to let go of the familiar, this is one of the best by-the-glass programs in the city for opening your eyes to what the wine world looks like beyond Europe.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Restaurant
Moon Rabbit's wine list is doing something rare: it's short enough to read in two minutes and interesting enough to talk about for twenty. If you care about well-chosen, adventurous bottles at prices that won't wreck your dinner bill, send your people here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Washington · Washington · Italian
Via Sophia is doing something genuinely focused in a city full of lists that try to please everyone — an all-Italy program with real depth, fair pricing, and a sommelier who actually cares. Send your friends here, tell them to ignore the Sassicaia, and order the Amarone.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Atlanta · Atlanta · Spanish
Buena Vida doesn't have the deepest list in Atlanta, but they've done real work curating twenty bottles that actually match the food and the spirit of the place — and with 18 pours available by the glass at fair prices, it's one of the more inviting wine setups on the tapas scene. Send your friends here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Newark · Newark · Spanish
Spanish Tavern is a Newark institution worth visiting for the atmosphere and the paella, but the wine program doesn't quite match the room's ambitions. Drink something Spanish, keep it simple, and let the food carry the night.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Bethesda · Bethesda · Spanish
Spanish Diner Bethesda is a wildcard: a laid-back all-day spot with a wine list that has no business being this interesting. The markups keep it from being a destination wine play, but if you're in Bethesda and want to drink actual Spain with your tapas, this is your move.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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