Hen of the Wood
Vermont's Best Wine List, No Contest
Downtown · Burlington · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You open the wine list at Hen of the Wood and immediately realize you're not in Vermont anymore — or at least not the Vermont of mediocre chardonnay and safe cab. This is a list that someone actually thought about, built with intention, and keeps current. Loire Valley, Beaujolais, Sicily, Austria, Alsace, Piedmont: the regions alone tell you this program has a point of view.
Selection Deep Dive
The 150-250 bottle list reads like a love letter to European terroir with a few smart California detours thrown in to keep things honest. The Beaujolais and Loire selections go deeper than what most restaurants twice the size bother with, and the Piedmont and Alsace corners reward anyone willing to stray from the obvious. Dirty & Rowdy Sémillon showing up here is a signal — this list isn't just checking boxes, it's actively seeking out producers who are doing something interesting. The Domaine Louis Boillot Gevrey-Chambertin anchors the prestige end without the list tipping into trophy-wine territory.
By the Glass
Twelve to twenty pours is a serious by-the-glass program, and Hen of the Wood doesn't waste the slots. The Domaine de la Paonnerie Beaujolais and Folk Machine Chenin Blanc signal that the glass pours are pulling from the same thoughtful place as the full list — not just the easy sells. A pair of rosé options gives the table something to argue about, which we consider a feature.
Folk Machine Chenin Blanc — null
California Chenin Blanc done right is one of the great undervalued glass-pour moves, and Folk Machine has been delivering the goods for years. At a by-the-glass price in a room like this, it's the smart order before you've even looked at the food menu.
Dirty & Rowdy Sémillon
Most people scroll past Sémillon on a wine list without a second thought — which is exactly why you shouldn't. Dirty & Rowdy makes one of the more compelling versions in California, and finding it here in Burlington means someone on staff actually cares enough to stock it. Order it.
Domaine Louis Boillot Gevrey-Chambertin
It's a great wine from a legitimate producer, but Gevrey-Chambertin at restaurant markup is a hard value proposition anywhere — and unless you're celebrating something that warrants three figures, there are smarter places to put your money on this list.
Domaine de la Paonnerie Beaujolais + Mushroom Toast
Beaujolais and umami-forward mushrooms is one of those pairings that sounds simple because it is — the wine's earthy, fruit-driven character mirrors what's on the plate without fighting it. The Paonnerie is a step above your average Beaujolais-Villages, which makes it the right call for a dish this good.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Hen of the Wood is the best wine list in Vermont and earns its place on any short list of serious wine programs in New England. Send your friends here, and tell them to ignore the safe choices — the whole point of this list is to go somewhere unexpected.
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