Nine Bottles, Zero Apologies, All Vibes
· Atlanta · Eclectic / Late-night · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 22, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Nine bottles. That's it. At most places, that would be a death sentence for a wine program — but Octopus Bar's list reads less like a restaurant wine menu and more like a curated mixed-tape someone with actual taste put together on a Tuesday night. The categories alone — Bubbles, Pink, White, Red, Before & After — tell you this place isn't taking itself too seriously, and that's exactly the right call.
For a list this compact, the range is genuinely surprising: you've got Gruet Blanc de Blancs holding it down on the sparkling end alongside Laurent-Perrier Brut, a Casteller Rosé Cava for the value-conscious, and a Lioco Indica Rosé that signals someone here actually drinks interesting wine. The whites lean old-world and aromatic — a Weingut Von Winning Riesling and a Demarie Langhe Arneis are not what you expect at a late-night bar. Reds are lean and purposeful: Dominique Piron's Burgundy, an Altos de la Hoya Monastrell from Murcia, and a Casa Mariol Negre round things out with some real character. There are no gaps per se — when your list is nine deep, everything is a gap — but the selections that are here are doing real work.
By-the-glass options are not listed publicly, so we can't confirm what's pouring on any given night. Given the tight bottle list, we'd guess most or all of it is available by the glass, but you'll want to ask when you arrive. If the Lioco Rosé is open, order it.
Casteller Rosé Cava — null
Cava is almost always the smartest sparkling buy on any list, and a Casteller Rosé Cava at a late-night bar is the kind of thing you order two glasses of before you've even looked at anything else. Festive, food-friendly, and almost certainly the most approachable price point on the menu.
Demarie Langhe Arneis 2013
Arneis is a Piedmontese white that most people walk right past, and that's their loss. Demarie is a solid producer and this grape — floral, slightly bitter, genuinely interesting — is exactly what you want at a place that's probably loud and full of interesting food. Most people will order the Riesling; the Arneis is the move.
Laurent-Perrier Brut Champagne
Laurent-Perrier is fine — it's perfectly acceptable Champagne — but it's also the most generic, expected bottle on this entire list, and it's priced like Champagne wherever you find it. The Gruet Blanc de Blancs is a New Mexico sparkler that drinks well above its price point. There is no reason to pay the Champagne premium here when you can spend less and drink smarter.
Altos de la Hoya Monastrell 2013 + Late-night bar snacks / charcuterie
Monastrell is a dark, brooding, slightly rustic grape from southeastern Spain that has no interest in being polished. It wants something fatty, savory, and unpretentious — exactly the kind of food a late-night eclectic spot is likely putting out. This is a bar wine in the best possible sense.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Octopus Bar's wine list is nine bottles deep and somehow manages to be more interesting than most 50-bottle menus in Atlanta. If you want depth and ceremony, look elsewhere — but if you want someone with good taste to have already made the hard choices for you, pull up a stool.
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