Coastal vibes, serious French and California bones
Rice Village · Houston · American, Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 28, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walk into Navy Blue and the blue-and-white tile, breezy coastal aesthetic almost distracts you from the wine list — almost. Flip it open and you're looking at something with actual intent behind it: a France-and-California backbone that matches the kitchen's seafood focus with a bit more ambition than your average Houston dining room.
The 150-250 bottle list leans hard into France and California, which is exactly right for a place serving oysters and spaghetti vongole. Burgundy gets real attention — Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Louis Jadot selections anchor the white side, while the reds bring Ridge Monte Bello and Far Niente Cab for the California faithful. Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir is a smart bridge pick, and the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling nods toward acid-forward pours that actually work with shellfish. The gaps are real — if you want natural wine, Rhône depth, or anything from the Southern Hemisphere, you're looking at the wrong list — but within its lane, this one is focused and credible. Wine Spectator has recognized it with an Award of Excellence since 2023, and you can feel why.
Twelve to twenty options by the glass is a healthy pour count for a restaurant this size, with glasses running $14–$22 — reasonable for Houston fine casual but not exactly adventurous pricing. Sommelier Leonardo Ordaz runs the program, and that stewardship shows in the glass selection staying aligned with the bottle list rather than defaulting to generic bulk pours. We'd love to see more rotation and a few wild-card glass options to keep regulars on their toes.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $14
At the lower end of the glass range, this is the move for oyster service — bright acidity, zero pretension, and it actually does what a seafood wine is supposed to do. Most people skip Riesling entirely and that's their loss.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir
Everyone at the table is ordering Burgundy or California Cab, and meanwhile this bottle is sitting there doing both — Oregon fruit with old-world restraint, and at a price point that doesn't require a second mortgage. It's the pick nobody makes but should.
Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon
Far Niente is a fine wine, but at restaurant markup it's a $200+ bottle you can find at retail for far less. Unless someone else is paying, the juice-to-dollar ratio here doesn't hold up when better-value reds are on the same list.
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet + Spaghetti Vongole
Clams want white Burgundy the way biscuits want butter — it's not complicated, it's just right. The Leflaive brings enough minerality and citrus edge to cut through the brine without stepping on it. This is the pairing that makes the whole meal.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Navy Blue is a seafood restaurant that actually thought about its wine list, and in Houston that's not as common as it should be. The pricing runs steep and there's no half-price night to soften the blow, but with Leonardo Ordaz steering the ship and a France-California core that fits the menu, we'd send a friend here without hesitation.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.