‘Tis the season to dive into your favorite bottles and explore new vinos. But wine in Nevada? Well, of course. Local legislature (more than climate) is responsible for the lack of vineyards in the region, but that hasn’t stopped the biggest little city from creating a robust wine scene embraced by local vinophiles.
Reno boasts a collection of curated wine bars each with their own style. And, quite honesty, we’re frequent customers at most of them. Join the club—the wine club that is—and uncork new adventures.
Atmosphere and ambiance
Whether you’re looking for a place to watch the game with a glass of wine in hand, or you’re on the hunt for a date night food-and-drink spot to impress, there’s a wine bar for you. Date nights at The Summit are best started at Mt. Rose Wine Co., boozy Sundays are heralded at Zephyr Wine Bar with live music, and an afterwork sipper at Vino 100 is the laidback experience we all need at the end of a long day—especially when you can watch Monday Night Football at the same time.
We’re fans of discovering the unexpected, and a wine bar, unlike a winery, allows for more variety. At Belleville Wine Bar, you may feel like you’ve been transported to France, and not just because the owner’s charming accent is on full display as he pours your wine. Offered by the glass, bottle, or flight (a line-up of three wines, red, white, or both), you can choose between bold European varietals or more familiar California blends.
The bluebird motif that permeates the chic yet quaint space on West Fifth Street oozes charm and is complimented by the chic gold and blue hued furnishings throughout. Share tapas with your mate starting with charcuterie boards presented with fresh bread or dive into one of the menu's bruschetta. You can always keep it simple with marinated olives and dessert.
Another high-end stop off is Zephyr Wine Bar + Bottle. Tucked into the Meadow Creek shopping center just across the street from Reno Ice, the Washoe baseball fields, and the yellow library, Zephyr prides itself on serving a menu of high-end wines including unexpected gems, such as Lebanese wine.
A partnership with local businesses allows guests to bring in brews from Pinion Bottle next door or other treats from the shopping center. Zephyr also has its own menu of delicious food including house made Peruvian empanadas, decadent crostinis, and Korean Gochujang Meatballs rich in flavors of ginger and garlic.
Whispering Vine has two locations—one in South Reno and another on 4th Street. The latter serves a full menu and hosts several events. There is just something special about sipping through a flight or sharing a bottle with a friend, tucked amongst the racks of wines from all over the world. Doubling as a bottle shop, Whispering Vine both sells its own label of wine and hundreds of other options.
While the wine here is divine, many travel to the 4th Street location for a full lunch or dinner experience. Hummus, marinated olives and charcuterie boards are good snacks, but the menu is truly elevated with options such as a crab roll, ahi tuna poke, coconut shrimp, and wild mushroom flatbread. While many wine businesses offer tapas, 4th Street is as much restaurant as it is bar.
When discussing ambiance, it’s hard not to mention The Lodge, an après ski destination located on the Reno side of Mt. Rose Highway. Here you can hide from the elements and warm those frozen toes inside the quaint space, which boasts a big comfy couch in one corner, bar seats, and small tables throughout. You can even sip your wine on the patio and enjoy the forested views that surround.
We’re coming here on chilly evenings and ordering up one of their delicious charcuterie boards, outfitted with favorites like blueberry goat cheese and curated meats. There’s also paninis and 12” pizzas. The wine selection can be ordered by the glass, bottle or flight, plus there’s a menu of specialty cocktails, a full coffee list and canned beers and ciders.
Speaking of charcuterie boards, that’s just the beginning of Blackrock Wine Co.’s menu, brimming with delectable tastes of everything from an olive oil dipping bowl served alongside a sliced baguette to Duck Rillete Toast served with goat cheese and artisanal jam, and a chocolate and cheese dessert board outfitted with three premium chocolate truffles, six artisanal chocolate bites, and three ounces of imported cheese, plus honeycomb and fresh fruit. The favorite date night spot keeps 160 white and rosè wines chilled and ready to serve in the custom-built wine room and 280 wines in total. Sixteen dollar quartinos (two-and-a-half glass carafes) available in red, white or rosé are great for happy hour or after-work sips.
The purple-hued Midtown Spirits Wine and Bites feels more Vegas lounge than average wine bar. The space, located just off of South Virginia Street near the Polo Lounge, transports guests to another world—one that feels luxe without a high price tag. There are always 150+ labels available for purchase.
Knowledge in a glass
While simply sipping wine is enjoyable, for those looking to learn more, many local wine bars offer a vino education—both formal and informal.
At Mt. Rose Wine Co., Doug and Lacie Flannery are both WSET3 certified. They are brimming with knowledge about wine regions, vintages, varietals, and more. So, if you know what you like but not how to describe it, you’re in the right place. Simply give a few characteristics and a price point, and the couple will have you sipping in no time.
Shannon DeDora, the director of Blackrock Wine Co., is racking up her own list of accolades. On top of being a level two sommelier, WSET3, French Wine Scholar and Certified Sake Pro, she also went to culinary school at the Professional Culinary Institute in Campbell, Calif. and crafts the food menu. “My experience spans across 27 years and is exclusive to wine. I've done programs for Charlie Palmer, Joie de Vivre Hotels, Fairmont Hotels, and in Napa at St. Supery Estate Vineyards as education director,” she says.
Mo’s By the River is perhaps the most unique wine bar on our list. Open seasonally, the patio space is attached to owner Monique’s home, zoned in a residential/commercial block sharing space with Hub Coffee Roasters, Dorinda’s Chocolates, and Beaujolais Bistro. From their converted garage, they share favorite wines from around the world. Monique and her partner, Glenn, routinely visit wine regions from California to Italy to bring back cases of small-lot, hard-to-find wines. And those wines often end up in the hands of their wine club members who receive four bottles quarterly. Theirs is also a heavy emphasis on organic and sulfate-free wines that Monique swears will curb your next-day hangover.
The space is friendly, filled with comfy patio chairs and lighted umbrellas. It opens each spring when the snow melts off (usually in March or April) and stays open through the end of the year.
Made local
While there are plenty of wine bars in Reno, the truth is there aren’t many labels making their own wines in the state. Nevada Sunset, however, is one of the few. The Nevada-based wine company turns out vinos from Albarino to Alicante. Many of the grapes come from Nevada vineyards while others are sourced from California neighbors (including plenty out of Lodi). The owner, Kate Boyle MacDonald, alongside her husband Craig, own Boyle Macdonald Wines in Murphys and split their time between there and Reno.
Unleash your inner wino
Reno’s wine bars aren’t just for sipping. Many locations have a robust line-up of events that stretch beyond your typical happy hour.
At Mt. Rose Wine Co., you can test your skills—and pick up some new ones—at blind tastings. The next one is slated for Dec. 3 and challenges guests to use their senses to identify a selection of wines. Beyond simply the varietal, can you pinpoint the country? The event aims to be a fun exploration of wine and our palates, not a stressful testing environment, so everyone is invited to participate and learn. There will also be a 12 Wines of Christmas ticketed event on Dec. 8.
Every Sunday, Zephyr celebrates the end of the week with live music from 3-5 p.m., but that’s just the start of their events. The best way to stay in the know is to sign up for text message alerts, which punch out details to everything from winemaker evenings, which see makers pouring some of their favorite wines alongside a selection of small bites from the Zephyr kitchen, to wine education classes, workshops featuring five to seven wines and a guided tasting by San Francisco Wine School’s industry-leading instructors. Courses are offered both in person and on-demand.
Save space on your calendar for yoga and mimosa Sundays at The Lodge. These hour-long restorative yoga classes are followed by mimosas on the patio. On Thursdays, bring your friends down to participate in DJ Trivia.
Midtown Spirits Wine and Bites gives into the vibes with Jazz Sundays, 4-8 p.m. where tunes set the tone for a smooth evening. But it’s not just jazz. Most days feature music of varying styles and a monthly calendar is posted on the website so you can stalk your favorites.
Vino 100 routinely hosts pourings of select wines on Wednesday evenings and Christmas time sees a big Santa-themed fundraiser. Simply sign up for emails to learn more.
We’re fans of discovering the unexpected, and a wine bar, unlike a winery, allows for more variety.
The purple-hued Midtown Spirits Wine and Bites feels more Vegas lounge than average wine bar.