The Foundry Restaurant

Walking into a converted 19th-century textile mill on the Merrimack River, the last thing you expect is a wine list that bothers to feature New Hampshire producers — but here we are. The list isn't massive, but it signals that someone cared enough to look beyond the usual California-France autopilot. That alone earns some goodwill before you've touched the bread.

The list runs 50-80 bottles and leans on California and France as its backbone, which is safe but sensible given the crowd and cuisine. What makes it interesting is the inclusion of Waltz Vineyards from Pennsylvania — a regional producer most Manchester diners wouldn't encounter otherwise — alongside the expected Napa and Bordeaux-adjacent options. The French section likely covers the crowd-pleasing side: Burgundy, Rhône, and Bordeaux-style bottles that match well with the kitchen's French-American leanings. Gaps exist — don't expect deep Iberian or German representation — but for a riverside restaurant in New Hampshire, this is a more considered list than the room would have you predict.

Twelve to eighteen pours by the glass is a solid count for this market, and it suggests they rotate with some intention rather than just opening a case and calling it a program. The Waltz Vineyards Stiegel Rosé appearing by the glass is a nice touch — it's the kind of local pick that rewards the curious diner who isn't just defaulting to a California Chardonnay. We'd like to see more information on rotation frequency, but the range appears broad enough to find something across white, red, and rosé categories.