Sunnyside
Lake Views, California Classics, Wednesday Magic
Tahoe City · Reno · American
Reviewed April 13, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Sunnyside plays it exactly like the setting suggests — sun-drenched, approachable, and California-forward. It's not trying to surprise you, and it doesn't. What you get is a roster of familiar names that will satisfy most tables without making anyone think too hard.
Selection Deep Dive
The list leans heavily on California heavyweights — Duckhorn, Cakebread, Rombauer, Stag's Leap, Far Niente, Opus One — with a nod to Pacific Northwest producers rounding things out. It's a greatest-hits compilation for the Napa faithful, and there's nothing wrong with that at a lakeside lodge. What's missing is any real depth below the surface: no surprises, no small producers, no reason to linger over the list. If you know what you like from your local wine shop, you'll recognize most of this.
By the Glass
By-the-glass specifics aren't documented, which is a gap we'd love to close on a future visit. Given the bottle list skews toward full-size pours of well-known California labels, we'd expect the glass program to mirror that — safe, recognizable, and probably a little pricey per pour. Wednesday's half-price bottle night makes the glass program largely irrelevant if you plan accordingly.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 — $68
At 51% over retail, it's not a steal, but it's the most reasonable ask on the Cab side of the list. Artemis consistently punches above its price point — structured, dark-fruited, and worth the pour against a burger or the crab cakes.
Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Most people glaze over the $185 price tag and reach for the Duckhorn. Don't. Far Niente's 2019 is a serious wine at only 32% above retail — the lowest markup on the list — and it's the kind of bottle that justifies a celebratory lakeside dinner. The relative value here compared to everything else is genuinely surprising.
Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay 2021
Cakebread Chardonnay is fine. It's also everywhere, and at $78 on a 73% markup it's the worst value play on the list. You're paying a premium for a label that's become a shorthand for 'safe Chardonnay' rather than for anything interesting in the glass. Pass.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 + Crab Cakes
Hear us out — the Artemis is on the leaner, more structured end of Napa Cab, and that backbone holds its own against the richness of crab cakes without steamrolling the seafood. It's an unconventional move that works, and it's a better call than defaulting to a buttery Chardonnay at three times the markup.
Wednesday — Half-price bottles of wine all night on a select list. Plan accordingly.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Sunnyside is exactly what it looks like: a beautiful lakeside spot with a wine list built for easy decisions and familiar names. Come on a Wednesday, grab the Far Niente if you're celebrating, and let the lake do the rest of the work.
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