The Red Wagon
Wednesday Saves You From the Rest
North Albany · Albany · Farm-to-Table · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 14, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The list reads like a grocery store endcap that got a menu makeover — Meiomi, Josh Cellars, Kim Crawford. Nothing here is going to surprise you, and at these prices, it probably should.
Selection Deep Dive
Thirty to fifty bottles sounds promising for a farm-to-table spot, but the producer lineup tells the whole story: this is a Greatest Hits of Approachable Brands list, not a thoughtful curation. There's a regional focus on New York State, California, and France, but without specific local producers or interesting imports, that framing feels more like a marketing checkbox than a real commitment. The California representation leans hard on mass-market labels, and what could be an exciting New York wine program is MIA. For a restaurant that presumably cares about where its food comes from, the wine list hasn't gotten the same memo.
By the Glass
Eight to twelve by-the-glass options is a decent count, but if they're pulling from the same pool of brands on the bottle list, you're not getting a lot of variety in the glass. No evidence of a rotating program or any effort to keep things fresh — what's on the list today is probably what was on it six months ago.
Catena Malbec 2022 — $38
Still marked up over double retail at $38, but it's the least egregious play on this list — and on a Wednesday, you're getting it for $19, which is actually a fair pour for a solid Argentine Malbec.
Catena Malbec 2022
Nobody comes to a farm-to-table spot in Albany for Argentine Malbec, but Catena is genuinely good for the category — structured, not jammy, with enough backbone to hold up to heavier dishes. It's the most serious bottle on a list that isn't trying very hard.
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
At $35 for a bottle you can grab at any supermarket for $12, this is a 192% markup on a wine that was engineered to be inoffensive. There is no scenario where this is the right call.
Catena Malbec 2022 + Roasted meat or braised lamb (farm-to-table seasonal entrée)
A farm-to-table kitchen likely has something braised or roasted on the menu — Catena's Malbec has enough dark fruit and structure to stand up to it without overwhelming. It's the one bottle on this list doing any real work.
Wednesday — Half-price bottles of wine all night
❌ The Bottom Line
Skip the wine list on any night that isn't Wednesday — the half-price bottle deal is the only thing that makes the math work here. Come back when they decide their wine program deserves the same attention as their produce sourcing.
Comments
Get the Weekly Wingman
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.