Scratch Gourmet Kitchen
Suburban Kansas City punching above its weight
Prairie Village · Prairie Village · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 14, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walking into a neighborhood gourmet spot in Prairie Village and finding a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is not what you expect — but here we are. The list lands around 80-120 bottles, skewing confidently toward California and Italy, which tells you exactly what the kitchen wants you drinking. It's not trying to be a wine bar; it's trying to be the best wine list within ten miles of your house.
Selection Deep Dive
California does the heavy lifting here, with recognizable anchors like Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, and Duckhorn Merlot — these are crowd-pleasers, sure, but they're well-chosen crowd-pleasers. Italy shows up with Antinori Super Tuscans and Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, giving the list a legitimate old-world counterweight. There are no wild swings into natural wine or obscure regions, but the curation is honest and deliberate rather than lazy. The gap is depth beyond $150 and geographic diversity outside these two lanes.
By the Glass
Ten to sixteen pours by the glass is a respectable number for a neighborhood spot, and the $10-$18 range keeps things accessible without feeling like a cash grab. We'd expect the glass program to mirror the bottle list's California-Italy DNA, which works fine when you're ordering pasta or a burger. Rotation isn't confirmed as active, so don't count on finding anything surprising week to week.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $65
Jordan is a reliable, well-made Alexander Valley Cab that restaurants routinely over-charge for — if Scratch is keeping it at or near retail, it's the clearest value play on the list for a red wine night.
Antinori Super Tuscan
Most tables in a suburban American restaurant are going straight for the California Cabs and skipping right past this — which is a mistake. Antinori's Super Tuscan lineup offers Sangiovese-forward complexity that cuts through rich American fare in a way that Napa Cab simply doesn't.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
It's fine, but Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is one of the most marked-up brand-name whites in the restaurant business — you're paying for the recognizable label, not the wine in the glass. Almost anything else on this list gives you more for your money.
Duckhorn Merlot + Housemade Pasta
Duckhorn's Merlot has enough plum richness and soft tannin to complement a hearty pasta without steamrolling it — it's the kind of match that makes a Tuesday dinner feel like a Saturday one.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Scratch is doing something genuinely worth noticing in suburban Kansas City: a thoughtful, focused wine list that earned its Wine Spectator credential and doesn't embarrass the kitchen. Send a friend here knowing the wine won't let them down — just steer them away from the Santa Margherita.
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