The Smokehouse Restaurant at Antrim 1844
Historic Maryland Inn With a Serious Cellar
Taneytown · Taneytown · American, French · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walking into Antrim 1844 feels like someone preserved a 19th-century Maryland estate and then quietly loaded the cellar with 400+ bottles of serious wine. The list arrives with the kind of weight that signals intent — this isn't a hotel restaurant that phoned in the wine program. They've held a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence since 1999, and the list earns it.
Selection Deep Dive
The core of the list is a California-Bordeaux-Rhône triangle, executed with real conviction. You'll find Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, and Far Niente anchoring the California side, while Chateau Margaux and the broader Bordeaux section give the old-world crowd something to actually get excited about. The Rhône representation — including E. Guigal's Côte-Rôtie — is the quiet strength of the list, and Italy shows up properly with Antinori Tignanello and Sassicaia sitting alongside solid Burgundy from Louis Jadot. The one gap: if you're hunting natural wine or anything off the beaten path, this list won't scratch that itch.
By the Glass
Sixteen to twenty-four options by the glass is a genuinely respectable spread for a property of this size and formality. We'd push the staff on what's rotating — with a cellar this deep, the glass list has real potential to punch above its weight. Ask Greg Watson what he's pouring right now; that conversation is worth having.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $45
Jordan consistently overdelivers for the price category — it's a crowd-pleaser in the best sense, with enough structure to handle a filet without embarrassing itself. Entry point to the California Cab section that won't make your eyes water.
E. Guigal CĂ´te-RĂ´tie
Most tables at a place like this reach for California Cab by reflex. The Guigal Côte-Rôtie is where the list actually gets interesting — Northern Rhône Syrah with that signature olive and smoked meat character that plays perfectly in a smokehouse setting. Dramatically underordered.
Opus One
Opus One is fine wine, but it's also the most marked-up bottle on lists like this everywhere in America. You're paying a celebrity premium at a restaurant markup on top of an already inflated retail price. The Tignanello or Guigal will drink better dollar-for-dollar.
Antinori Tignanello + Filet Mignon
Tignanello's blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet brings enough dark fruit and acidity to cut through the richness of a well-executed filet. It's also just a great excuse to order one of the better Italian bottles on the list in a room where everyone else is drinking Napa.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Antrim 1844 is the rare countryside inn where the wine list is genuinely worth the drive — deep cellar, a real sommelier in Greg Watson, and a list that spans California to Rhône with conviction. Markups are hotel-restaurant steep, so pick your spots, but the bones here are excellent.
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