The Olde English Pub
Solid pours in a genuinely historic room
West End · Albany · British Pub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 13, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walking into a 1730s Quackenbush House, you're not expecting a wine destination — and the list confirms that immediately. What you get is a short, approachable lineup of familiar names at prices that won't make you wince. It's a pub list built for pub drinkers, and it knows exactly what it is.
Selection Deep Dive
The bottle list runs from $27 to $65, which is genuinely reasonable for a sit-down spot in Albany's downtown. The selections lean heavily on recognizable grocery-aisle producers — Francis Coppola, Decoy, Trumpeter, Starborough — with a light nod to Italy via Gionelli Pinot Grigio and Prego Montepulciano. There's no real regional depth here, no grower Champagne lurking in the corner, no interesting natural wines hiding behind the Guinness taps. But if you want something drinkable with your Pub Burger without overthinking it, you'll find it.
By the Glass
Nine options by the glass, ranging from $9 to $18, which is a solid spread for a neighborhood pub. You've got your Prosecco, your Sauvignon Blanc, your Pinot Grigio, and a handful of reds covering Malbec, Cab, and Pinot Noir territory. The rotation doesn't appear to change much, but at least the pricing keeps it accessible.
Prego Montepulciano D'Abruzzo Reserve — $27
If this is sitting at the lower end of the bottle list, it's the move — Montepulciano D'Abruzzo is a consistently food-friendly red that overdelivers for the price, and at $27 a bottle in a restaurant setting, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better deal on the list.
Tarani Malbec
Most people in a British pub are reaching for the Cab or the Pinot, which means the Malbec gets overlooked. Tarani is a solid, fruit-forward Argentine producer that punches above its price point — order it and look smarter than everyone else at the table.
Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon
Decoy is a fine wine, but it's widely available at retail for $15-$20 a bottle, so the restaurant markup stings more than usual. With Francis Coppola Cab also on the list, you're paying a premium for a label you can grab at any supermarket on the drive home.
Starborough Sauvignon Blanc + Grazing Board
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and a spread of charcuterie, cheese, and pickled things is basically a cheat code — the bright citrus and herbal snap of the Starborough cuts through fat and salt and keeps everything lively across the board.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Olde English Pub isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — and the fair pricing and recognizable pours make it a perfectly decent place to have a glass alongside a pint and some bar food. Send your friend here for the atmosphere and the beer; the wine is just a bonus that won't embarrass anyone.
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