Best Wine Lists in New Hampshire

The Oar House

· Portsmouth · Seafood & American

The Reliable

The Oar House wine list is a workmanlike effort — short, safe, and priced fairly for what it is. If you're coming for the seafood and want a glass of Albariño or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc to go with it, you'll be well served. Just don't come here expecting to be wowed by the wine program.

Moxy

Downtown · Portsmouth · New American / Tapas-Style

The Wild Card

Moxy earns its Wild Card badge not because we can confirm every pour, but because the bones of the wine program — an intentional regional focus, a menu built for wine-friendly snacking, and a room that draws people back — suggest genuine effort. If you're in Portsmouth and want something more interesting than a safe Napa Cab next to your tapas, this is worth the reservation. Come in curious, ask the staff what they're excited about, and let the list surprise you.

Nichinan

· Portsmouth · Japanese / Sushi

The Reliable

Nichinan's wine list is short but earns its keep — the presence of Pieropan, Grüner Veltliner, and Henri Bourgeois Sancerre tells you someone on staff understands that sushi and Chardonnay is not the only answer. Markups are fair across the board, and the by-the-glass selection is wide enough to keep the table happy without forcing a bottle. If you're in Portsmouth and want something better than the default wine-at-a-sushi-restaurant experience, this delivers.

The Rosa

· Portsmouth · Italian-American

The Reliable

The Rosa isn't trying to reinvent the wine list — it's trying to serve its room well, and largely succeeds. Twenty-five by-the-glass options with Italian producers mixed alongside California staples makes this one of the more thoughtful pours in Portsmouth. If you're after wine-bar ambition, look elsewhere; if you want a reliable glass with your gnocchi without any drama, The Rosa delivers.

The Library Restaurant

· Portsmouth · Steakhouse

The Reliable

The Library Restaurant is a Wine Spectator award holder that plays it very, very safe — heavy California Chardonnay, a prestige Champagne tower, and markups that favor the house. If you're here for a special occasion and want to pop a Pol Roger at $125 or a Veuve at $155, it's a fine room for that. But if you're hoping to find something unexpected or feel like the wine program is working hard for you, this list isn't going to surprise you.

Wentworth by the Sea – Salt Kitchen & Bar

New Castle · Portsmouth · Hotel Restaurant / New American

The Reliable

Salt Kitchen & Bar is a perfectly adequate place to drink wine if you're already staying at the Wentworth, but we wouldn't recommend driving out to New Castle for the list. Order the local seafood, pick something coastal to drink, and enjoy the view — that's the real value here.

Dolce Vita Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar

Market Street · Portsmouth · Italian

The Reliable

Dolce Vita is a reliable neighborhood wine bar with enough Italian depth to satisfy anyone who came to drink well with their dinner. The markups on the California heavy-hitters are a soft deterrent, but lean Italian and you'll leave happy.

La Maison Navarre

Downtown · Portsmouth · French patisserie, crêperie, and wine bar

The Wild Card

La Maison Navarre is a genuine Wild Card — a French patisserie and crêperie in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, that actually bothered to build a coherent, France-only wine list to match. It's not deep, it's not adventurous, but it's honest and well-matched to what's on the plate, and that's more than most places manage.

STREET Portsmouth

West End · Portsmouth · Global Street Food / Eclectic American

The Lazy List

STREET is a genuinely fun, globe-trotting neighborhood spot that deserves a wine list as curious as its food — instead it has six grocery-store staples marked up steep and left on autopilot. Order a cocktail, enjoy the Bibimbap, and don't overthink the wine.

Vida Cantina

Unknown · Portsmouth · Modern Mexican

The Lazy List

Vida Cantina is a genuinely fun spot for food and cocktails, but the wine list is on autopilot — overpriced California standards with no imagination and no connection to the kitchen. Order a mezcal cocktail, grab the Vinho Verde if you insist on wine, and don't come here expecting anything more.

Portsmouth Gas Light Co. – Rooftop

Unknown · Portsmouth · Bar / Rooftop

The Lazy List

Come for the rooftop, stay for the vibe — but don't come for the wine. The Wednesday half-price bottle deal is the one reason to order a bottle, and even then, temper your expectations accordingly.

Portsmouth Gas Light Co. – Grill

Downtown · Portsmouth · American Grill

The Reliable

Skip the Gas Light on any night but Wednesday — half off all bottles turns a steep list into a genuinely solid deal and makes this a legitimate downtown Portsmouth option. The rest of the week, order a beer.