Jujube
Old World Wines Meet Pan-Asian Heat
Downtown Durham · Durham · Contemporary Asian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You don't expect a contemporary Asian restaurant in Durham to hand you a list leaning hard on Emilia-Romagna and Languedoc — but here we are, and it works. The list is compact enough to read in two minutes but curated enough that it's clearly not an afterthought. Someone in this building has a point of view.
Selection Deep Dive
Fifty to eighty labels isn't massive, but the emphasis on high-acid Old World wines is smart and deliberate — these bottles are built to cut through duck fat and stand up to Thai curry without getting steamrolled. Italy and France do the heavy lifting, with a Pignoletto Frizzante from Emilia-Romagna, a coastal white from Languedoc's Cotes de Thau, and a Mercurey from Bourgogne anchoring the list with real regional character. You won't find a deep Burgundy cellar or a Napa sprawl, but what's here makes sense on the table. The gaps are real — New World representation is thin and there's no obvious by-the-glass red for someone who wants something plush — but the intentionality earns it.
By the Glass
Ten to sixteen options by the glass is a solid spread for a restaurant this size, with prices running $12–$18 — reasonable for Durham, especially when Tuesday rolls around. The glass program skews toward the same Old World, acid-driven profile as the bottle list, which means you're not stuck pouring grocery-store Pinot Grigio over your dumplings. Rotation appears seasonal, which keeps things from going stale.
2022 Tre Monti 'Doppio' Pignoletto Frizzante, Emilia-Romagna — $35
Pignoletto is the unsung fizzy white of Emilia-Romagna — crisp, low-alcohol, slightly nutty, and genuinely food-friendly. At the low end of the bottle range, this is the move for a table sharing dumplings and ramen. It drinks well above its price point and it's exactly the kind of wine you'd pay twice as much for at a wine bar.
2023 Face a La Mer Blanc, Cotes de Thau IGP, Languedoc
Most people skip past anything labeled 'IGP Languedoc' because they don't recognize the name, and that's a mistake. Face a La Mer is a coastal Languedoc producer making bright, saline-tinged whites that were basically engineered for seafood and spice. Order it before someone else at the table picks the Chardonnay by default.
2022 Chateau de Chamilly 'Au Pied du Mont Morin' Mercurey, Bourgogne
It's a fine Mercurey and we're not mad at it, but Burgundy at a pan-Asian restaurant is a tough sell — the delicate Pinot profile tends to get buried under bold sauces and umami-heavy dishes. You're paying a Bourgogne premium for a wine that's not really in its element here. Save the Chamilly for a quieter night.
2022 Tre Monti 'Doppio' Pignoletto Frizzante, Emilia-Romagna + Steamed Dumplings
The gentle effervescence and bright acidity in the Pignoletto cut right through the richness of the dumpling wrapper and filling without stomping on the delicate flavors. It's the same reason you'd reach for Champagne with fried chicken — bubbles and acid do the work that a heavier wine can't.
Tuesday — Half price on select wines from the list — one of the better weekly wine deals in Durham
🎲 The Bottom Line
Jujube is the rare Asian restaurant that treats wine as a real part of the meal, not an obligation, and the Old World-forward list proves it. Tuesday's half-price night alone is reason enough to make it a weekly habit.
Comments
Get the Weekly Wingman
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.