Topper's at the Wauwinet
Sunset Bay Views, Serious Cellar Beneath
Wauwinet · Nantucket · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 5, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Topper's arrives like a small novel — 800 to 1,200 selections deep, with a Grand Award from Wine Spectator that dates back to 1996 and hasn't gone soft since. You're sitting on a deck overlooking Nantucket Bay at golden hour, and the list in your hands matches the moment: aspirational, considered, and not cheap. This is a destination wine experience in every sense of the word.
Selection Deep Dive
The anchor here is Burgundy — and it's not just a token section. We're talking Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Leroy Bourgogne, and Henri Jayer Vosne-Romanée on the same list, which is genuinely rare outside of a handful of restaurants in the country. Bordeaux is equally serious, with Château Pétrus, Château Le Pin, and Château Mouton Rothschild representing the full spectrum of the Left and Right Banks. California holds its own with Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, and Kistler Vineyards, and the Italian coverage — Gaja Barbaresco, Sassicaia, Giacomo Conterno Barolo — gives old-world lovers plenty to chase. The Rhône showing, anchored by Guigal's Côte-Rôtie La Mouline and Chapoutier Ermitage, rounds out a list that feels like it was built by someone who actually drinks wine.
By the Glass
With 20 to 35 pours available by the glass, there's real range here — not just a token Chardonnay and a Cabernet standing in the corner. Sommelier Brittany Dawson runs the program, and that shows in the glass selection feeling curated rather than default. We'd push for a rotation that highlights more of the list's depth, but for a hotel dining room on an island, this is well above average.
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay — $60
Kistler is a cult California Chardonnay that commands attention at retail and consistently outperforms its price bracket on restaurant lists when it isn't being brutalized by markup. On a list where four-figure bottles are routine, this is your foot in the door to something genuinely special without refinancing the vacation.
Chapoutier Ermitage
Most tables are going straight for the Burgundy heavy-hitters, which means the Rhône section gets overlooked. Chapoutier's Ermitage is one of the Northern Rhône's most underrated benchmarks — serious Syrah with age-worthiness and complexity that holds its own against anything on this list. Skip the crowd and drink here.
Opus One
Opus One is a perfectly fine wine that has become a status order more than a considered one. On a list this deep — with Harlan Estate and Screaming Eagle in the same section — spending Opus money here feels like ordering the Caesar salad at a Michelin-starred restaurant. You're here for a reason. Go further.
Giacomo Conterno Barolo + Steak Frites with Old Bay Fries
Conterno Barolo is built for red meat — the tannin structure and acidity cut through fat and amplify savory depth in a way that softer California Cabs simply don't. The Old Bay on the fries adds a subtle spice that the wine's dried cherry and tar notes absorb without blinking. It's the kind of pairing that makes you stop talking mid-bite.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Topper's is the real deal — a Grand Award list that earns its reputation year after year on an island where easy money could have made this lazy a long time ago. The pricing will sting, but if you're going to splurge on wine anywhere in New England, this is where you do it.
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