The Inn at Little Washington
Virginia countryside hides one of America's greatest cellars
Washington · Washington · American, French · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 5, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at The Inn at Little Washington arrives like a small novel — 900+ selections, 14,000 bottles in the cellar, and a Grand Award that Wine Spectator has been handing out here since 1995. This is not a restaurant that treats wine as an afterthought. It is, in many ways, the whole point.
Selection Deep Dive
California and Burgundy anchor the list with genuine depth — we're talking Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Harlan Estate, Screaming Eagle, and Krug sitting alongside Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Giacomo Conterno Barolo. The Rhône representation is serious, with E. Guigal's Côte-Rôtie La Mouline making an appearance that signals this team knows what they're doing. Germany gets a proper nod through Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling, which is exactly the kind of pick that separates a thoughtful list from a trophy case. Most refreshingly, Virginia producers like RdV Vineyards and Boxwood Estate Winery earn real estate alongside the world's legends — a choice that feels honest rather than obligatory.
By the Glass
With 20-30 by-the-glass options, the pour program is more generous than you'd expect from a restaurant operating at this altitude. Prices run $15 on the accessible end, though the BTG selection naturally skews toward producers and regions that justify the splurge. In a room full of four-figure bottles, the glass program is your best entry point if you're not ready to commit to a cellar dive.
Boxwood Estate Winery (Virginia) — $80-range
In a list where the price floor starts low and the ceiling is PĂ©trus, leaning into Virginia's own Boxwood Estate is the move. You're drinking local terroir in one of the most celebrated dining rooms on the East Coast, and you're doing it without the four-figure hangover.
Egon MĂĽller Scharzhofberger Riesling
Most tables in this room are hunting Burgundy or California cult bottles. The Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling from the Mosel sits here like a quiet genius — one of Germany's most extraordinary wines, and almost always overlooked by guests scanning for the big red names.
Opus One
Opus One is a fine wine, but it's also everywhere — every steakhouse, every hotel lobby bar, every corporate expense account dinner. In a list with this much depth and ambition, ordering Opus One is like going to Paris and eating at McDonald's. You can do better here, and the team will happily prove it.
E. Guigal CĂ´te-RĂ´tie La Mouline + Rack of Lamb with Herb Crust
La Mouline is a Northern Rhône Syrah of uncommon elegance — floral, silky, and layered with dark fruit and olive tapenade notes. Against the herb crust and the richness of the lamb, it doesn't just work, it makes both things better than they were alone.
🔥 The Bottom Line
The Inn at Little Washington is one of the few restaurants in America where the wine program is genuinely as serious as the food — 14,000 bottles, a staff that actually knows them, and a Virginia cellar that earns its Grand Award every single year. Yes, you'll spend money. No, you won't regret it.
Comments
Get the Weekly Wingman
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.