Craft Beer Town Has a Decent Wine List
· Cumming, GA · Modern American Wood-Fired Kitchen and Brewhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed June 3, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed YAVA Kitchen and Brewhouse’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
When a brewhouse opens its wine list, you brace for the worst — a token Malbec and a Chardonnay that nobody ordered. YAVA actually shows some effort here: 18 bottles, 11 by the glass, and a price ceiling that climbs to $135 without embarrassing itself. It's not a wine destination, but it's not an afterthought either.
The list leans hard on California — Frank Family, DAOU, Cakebread, Goldeneye — which is a safe but predictable play for a Cumming crowd that knows what it likes. There's a respectable nod to the Pacific Northwest with L'Ecole Merlot, Elk Cove Pinot Gris, and Argyle Bloomhouse Pinot Noir, which adds more texture than you'd expect from a brewhouse. The Champagne shelf is a genuine bright spot: Laurent-Perrier Brut La Cuvée, Taittinger La Française, and Canard-Duchêne sitting alongside a Zardetto Prosecco shows someone upstairs cares about bubbles. The gaps are real — no Italian reds beyond Antinori Santa Cristina, no Spanish anything, and the Southern Hemisphere is represented almost entirely by Molly Dooker's two Shirazes, which is a lot of jam for one list.
Eleven pours by the glass is generous for a spot that brews its own beer, and the selection tracks the bottle list without feeling like leftovers. You can get to Champagne by the glass via Laurent-Perrier, which is a legitimately good move — most spots this casual stop at Prosecco. Rotation doesn't appear to be a core feature here; this reads as a set list rather than a program that evolves with the seasons.
L'Ecole Merlot — $9–$135 range
L'Ecole is one of Washington's most consistent overachievers — structured, food-friendly Merlot from a producer that rarely gets the credit it deserves. On a list dominated by California names carrying California markups, this one typically punches above its price point.
Argyle Bloomhouse Pinot Noir
Most people at a brewhouse aren't reaching for an Oregon Pinot, which is exactly why you should. Argyle is a serious Willamette producer and the Bloomhouse label offers real Pinot character — earthy, bright, not trying to be Napa — that holds up beautifully against wood-fired smoke.
Rose All Day Rosé
A grocery store label on a list that otherwise shows some range. With AIX Rosé sitting right there — a proper Provence rosé with actual terroir behind it — there's no reason to reach for a bottle whose main selling point is its name.
Molly Dooker The Boxer Shiraz + Wood-fired meat from the live-fire kitchen
The Boxer is big, dark, and built for char. Whatever comes off that live-fire setup — beef, lamb, anything with a crust — this Shiraz has the weight to match it without getting lost in the smoke.
The Bottom Line
YAVA is a craft beer joint that remembered wine drinkers exist, and it did a decent job of it. Not a wine destination, but if you're in Cumming and eating live-fire, you won't go thirsty or broke.
· Cumming, GA · Mediterranean/Greek/Middle Eastern
Giorgio's isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but Tuesday half-price bottles at a casual, well-priced neighborhood spot is the kind of real-world value that actually matters. We'd come back for a weeknight bottle deal alongside the Chicken Piccata without hesitation. Just don't come in asking for a tasting note on the reserve selection.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Cumming, GA · Cafe
Nido Cafe's wine list is short by design and honest about what it is. Six solid, fairly-priced options served at a neighborhood cafe — no pretense, no gouging, no surprises. If you're here for a casual lunch or coffee and want a glass of something decent with it, this list does exactly what it needs to do.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Cumming, GA · Italian
Mia Ristorante Italiano is a solid neighborhood Italian joint where the food clearly carries the night — the wine list is there to support dinner, not steal the show. If you're after a deep, adventurous pour, look elsewhere; if you want a comfortable glass of something Italian-friendly with your Veal Parm in a room that feels like a local secret, this hits the spot. We'd send a friend here for the food without hesitation, and tell them the wine will do just fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Cumming, GA · Steakhouse
Avi's wine list is exactly what a neighborhood steakhouse should have — fair prices, enough variety to keep a table of six happy, and a few quiet overachievers hiding in plain sight. It won't excite a serious wine nerd, but it won't insult them either. If you're in Cumming and need a solid bottle with your steak, you can do this without regret.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Cumming, GA · New American/Southern
Tam's BackStage is doing exactly what a neighborhood restaurant wine list should do: keep it accessible, keep the markup fair, and make sure almost everything is available by the glass. It's not going to win any awards for adventurousness, but the Crossings at $9 a pour and Centine at $39 a bottle give you genuine value in a list that could have coasted on Canyon Road alone. Send a friend here when they want a solid glass without a lesson.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Cumming, GA · Steakhouse
The Ridge is a solid night out if you're in Forsyth County and want a steak with a side of live music and forest air — the wine program just isn't the reason to come. Until the list is published and verifiable, order something bold and red, enjoy your filet, and let the scenery do the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
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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