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🎲The Wild Card

Ella's Table

Carnall Hall's Secret Wine Weapon Hits Different

Downtown Fayetteville Β· Fayetteville Β· Southern with Modern American Twist Β· Visit Website β†—

date-nightold-world-focushidden-gemsplurge-worthy

Reviewed April 16, 2026

Wingman Metrics

List VarietySmall but Thoughtful
MarkupFair
GlasswareBasic Stemmed
StaffWilling but Green
Specials & DealsActive Program
Storage & TempAcceptable

First Impression

Tucked inside the Inn at Carnall Hall, Ella's Table walks in wearing candlelight and wood paneling β€” and then surprises you with a wine list that has no business being this interesting in downtown Fayetteville. An 80-120 bottle list with actual Sauternes, Premier Cru Burgundy, and aged Port is not what you expect when you sit down for Southern pork chops in Arkansas. Whoever built this list was paying attention.

Selection Deep Dive

The list leans old-world in all the right places β€” France and Portugal do the heavy lifting, with Spain showing up via a Pedro XimΓ©nez Sherry that most restaurants wouldn't dare stock. The 2022 Domaine Chapuis Alex Corton Premier Cru is a real find, a Corton-level Burgundy that signals genuine ambition. Carmes de Rieussec Sauternes is a smart pour from a Lafite-owned estate that consistently overdelivers on the Sauternes price curve. The gaps are real β€” there's no obvious depth in domestic producers or southern hemisphere coverage β€” but what's here is curated, not just catalogued.

By the Glass

Ten to sixteen options by the glass is a respectable spread for a restaurant this size. We'd love to see the fortified wine selection β€” the Osborne PX and Fonseca and Sandeman Ports β€” available by the glass as dessert pours, because those are the hidden weapons on this list. Rotation cadence is unclear, but Thursday's half-price bottle program is the real glass-pour play here anyway.

πŸ’°Best Value

Carmes de Rieussec Sauternes β€” null

Lafite's second label Sauternes is consistently one of the best price-to-quality plays in sweet wine. At half-price on Thursday, it becomes almost irresponsible not to order it.

πŸ’ŽHidden Gem

Osborne Pedro XimΓ©nez Sherry

Almost nobody orders PX Sherry at dinner and that is a mistake. It's liquid fig jam in a glass, it's got more complexity than most desserts on the menu, and it's the kind of thing that makes you look very smart at the table.

β›”Skip This

Sandeman 20 Year Tawny Port

The Fonseca 10 Year is almost certainly the better value move here β€” Sandeman's 20 Year carries a name-brand premium that doesn't translate into a proportional jump in quality. Save the money or put it toward the Burgundy.

🍽️Perfect Pairing

2022 Domaine Chapuis Alex Corton Premier Cru + Cold Smoked Prime Filet

Premier Cru Burgundy and prime beef is a clichΓ© for a reason β€” the earthiness and red fruit in a Corton cuts right through the smoke and fat without overpowering it. This is the splurge combo you came here for.

🍷Half-Price Wine Night

Thursday β€” Every Thursday Evening 5–9 PM: Half price bottles on select wines.

🎲 The Bottom Line

Ella's Table is punching well above its weight class for a hotel restaurant in northwest Arkansas β€” the fortified wine selection alone is worth a visit, and Thursday half-price bottles make it a legitimate destination. Send your wine-curious friends here and let them be surprised.

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