Modern Barn
California Dreaming in a Maine Ski Town
Bethel · Bethel · American
Reviewed April 15, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You walk into a candlelit restored barn in the middle of ski country Maine and the wine list skews hard California — and honestly, it works. The list is focused and deliberate, not an afterthought. Someone here actually cares, and sommelier Jessica Stasinos has her fingerprints all over it.
Selection Deep Dive
The list sits in the 100-150 bottle range with a clear California identity — Napa Cabs, Sonoma Chards, and a few familiar faces that read like a greatest hits of West Coast wine. Stag's Leap, Silver Oak, Cakebread, Duckhorn — these are names people recognize, and they're here for a reason. What's missing is any real adventure: no Willamette Pinot for the Pacific Northwest crowd, no Old World counterweight to all that Napa oak. The $35–$120 price window is genuinely accessible for a restaurant of this caliber, which earns real points.
By the Glass
Ten to sixteen pours by the glass is a solid showing for a ski-town restaurant, and with Sonoma-Cutrer and Rombauer Chardonnay likely anchoring the white side, the BTG program doesn't embarrass itself. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority — expect the same reliable lineup visit to visit — but when you're in a barn in Bethel in February, that's not the worst thing in the world.
Duckhorn Merlot — $65
Duckhorn Merlot is a legitimately great wine that gets overlooked because people are still recovering from Sideways. At this price point in a cozy barn restaurant, it punches above its weight and beats the obvious Cab picks on value.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Most guests here will reach for Silver Oak or Jordan on autopilot, but Stag's Leap is historically one of the most important Napa producers — the 1973 Cab famously beat the French in the Judgment of Paris. It's the most interesting pour on this list if you know what you're looking at.
Rombauer Chardonnay
Rombauer is fine — it's just everywhere. Buttery, oaky, and priced at a restaurant premium for something you could grab at any wine shop back home. Sonoma-Cutrer is the smarter Chardonnay move if you want Cali white.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon + Octopus
Jordan Cab is softer and more food-friendly than the bigger Napa bombs on this list — it has enough structure to stand up to the char and richness of octopus without steamrolling it the way Silver Oak would.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Modern Barn isn't trying to be a wine destination — it's a warm, well-run ski-town restaurant with a California-focused list that's priced fairly and backed by a sommelier who knows the program. Send your friends here; just tell them to order the Duckhorn.
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