Wine Bar
Unclaimed profileThe Cellar Wine Bar & Kitchen
South Bend, IN · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
The Cellar covers more ground than its wine-bar title suggests. The wine list runs over 30 by-the-glass pours from Italy, France, Spain, California, Oregon, Washington, Australia, Argentina, and New Zealand, with bottles organized by flavor profile and six flight options including Around the World. Cocktails span gin, bourbon, tequila, vodka, rum, and wine bases, with a five-drink sparkling section. Beer, spirits flights, and a dedicated Zero Proof list round out a program built for range rather than narrow specialization.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Around the World Flight ($18.80), four 2-ounce pours: California Cabernet, Australian Shiraz, French Cabernet Franc, and Argentine Malbec. For a full glass, the Pinot Noir Bouchard Aine & Fils 2024 ($13) or Cabernet Sauvignon Broadbent 2024 ($12). Cocktail drinkers should consider the Jefferson Blvd Old-Fashioned ($12) with Woodford Reserve, or the Harter Heights Hipster ($12), a gin gimlet with cucumber and basil.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Anyone who wants a serious by-the-glass wine selection without committing to a bottle, groups who can't agree on one drink category, and non-drinkers who want a real Zero Proof menu rather than a token option.
- When should I go?
- Wednesday for $10 off every bottle on the wine list, all day. Sunday for $10 red or white sangria. Happy Hour is also part of the weekly specials rotation.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Wines by the glass $8–$15; bottles $30–$62. Wine flights $16.40–$26. Cocktails $11–$12. Beer $5–$7; cider $10 per glass. Spirits flights $19–$26. Zero Proof cocktails $9; alcohol-removed wine $10; non-alcohol beer $5.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- Bottles are displayed by flavor profile—earthy, bold, fruity, light—rather than region alone. Six wine flight formats include Build Your Own. The Bourbon Flight pours three bourbons from a single distillery; the Scotch Flight spans Highland, Lowland, and Islay. A four-drink Zero Proof section and alcohol-removed Tempranillo and Verdejo put non-alcoholic options on equal footing.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
A diverse list spanning gin, bourbon, tequila, vodka, rum, and wine-based drinks, with a five-option sparkling section. Named drinks include the Jefferson Blvd Old-Fashioned, Harter Heights Hipster, Kentucky Paloma, St Louis Blvd Sangria, and Hugo Spritz.
Menu strengths
- — Sparkling cocktail section lists five options, giving the list a dedicated bubbly lane rather than one token spritz.
- — Cocktail base spirits span gin, bourbon, tequila, vodka, rum, and wine, so the list covers most drinker preferences.
- — The Jefferson Blvd Old-Fashioned offers an option to try it smoked, a specific preparation choice beyond the standard build.
Standout selections
- — Jefferson Blvd Old-Fashioned ($12): Woodford Reserve, Angostura bitters, simple syrup, and cherry, with an option to try it smoked.
- — Harter Heights Hipster ($12): a fresh twist on a gin gimlet with cucumber, basil, and a splash of soda.
- — Hugo Spritz ($12): elderflower, lime, mint, and sparkling cava.
Pricing: $11–$12
Wine
Over 30 wines by the glass across white, rosé, sparkling, and red, drawn from Italy, France, Spain, California, Oregon, Washington, Australia, Argentina, and New Zealand. Bottles are displayed by flavor profile, and six flight formats include Around the World and Build Your Own.
Menu strengths
- — Over 30 wines by the glass is unusually deep for a wine bar, and the regional spread covers eight countries plus domestic appellations.
- — Six flight options—Server's Flight, Beginners Flight, Around the World, All American, Pro Flight, and Build Your Own—let drinkers compare across regions or stay within one.
- — Bottles displayed by flavor profile (earthy, bold, fruity, light) organize the list by palate rather than geography alone.
Standout selections
- — Around the World Flight ($18.80): four 2-ounce pours—California Cabernet, Australian Shiraz, French Cabernet Franc, and Argentine Malbec.
- — Cabernet Sauvignon Broadbent 2024 ($12 / $46): CA-North Coast, available by the glass or bottle.
- — Pinot Noir Bouchard Aine & Fils 2024 ($13 / $52): France, available by the glass or bottle.
Pricing: Glass $8–$15; bottle $30–$62; flights $16.40–$26
Beer
A bottle-and-can list spanning ales, pilsners, wheats, hoppy beers, stout/porter, and cider.; Style coverage runs from pilsner and wheat to IPA, stout/porter, and cider, so the list functions across a range of preferences.
Menu strengths
- — Style coverage runs from pilsner and wheat to IPA, stout/porter, and cider, so the list functions across a range of preferences.
- — 3 Floyds and Bells give the list regional Indiana representation rather than an all-import lineup.
- — Stella Artois Liberte provides a non-alcohol beer option alongside the bottled and canned regulars.
Standout selections
- — 3 Floyds Zombie Dust ($7): a hoppy beer from the Indiana brewery.
- — Bells Two Hearted IPA ($6): a hoppy beer and a regional standard.
- — Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter ($6): a stout/porter for drinkers who want a darker pour.
Pricing: Bottle/can $5–$7; cider $10 per glass / $27 per bottle
Nonalcoholic
A dedicated Zero Proof section lists four non-alcoholic cocktails: Strawberry Cucumber Spritz, Mixed Berry Nojito, Apple-Cranberry Spritz, and Cranberry Mule. Alcohol-removed wine comes in red Tempranillo and white Verdejo, and Stella Artois Liberte covers beer.
Menu strengths
- — Four Zero Proof cocktails make up a full section rather than a single afterthought option.
- — Alcohol-removed wine is available in both red Tempranillo and white Verdejo, covering both sides of the wine list.
- — The program spans three beverage types—cocktail, wine, and beer—so non-drinkers aren't limited to one format.
Standout selections
- — Strawberry Cucumber Spritz ($9): cucumber, strawberries, lemon, ginger beer, and a splash of soda.
- — Mixed Berry Nojito ($9): berries, mint, lime, simple syrup, and soda.
- — Alcohol Removed Wine ($10): red Tempranillo and white Verdejo at.5% ABV.
Pricing: Zero Proof cocktails $9; alcohol-removed wine $10; non-alcohol beer $5
Spirits
A spirits list covering Scotch, whiskey/bourbon, and Cognac, with flights for bourbon and Scotch. Named bottles include Macallan 12, Balvenie Double Wood 12yr, Basil Hayden, Woodford Reserve, and Redbreast 12yr.
Menu strengths
- — Two flight formats—Bourbon Flight and Scotch Flight—let drinkers compare within a category rather than committing to a full pour.
- — The Scotch Flight spans three regions: Edradour (Highland), Lindores (Lowland), and Laphroaig (Islay).
- — Cognac 2-ounce pours include Bas Armagnac Chateau St Aubin, Camus VSOP, and Hennessy VSOP, extending the list beyond whiskey.
Standout selections
- — Scotch Flight ($26): Edradour (Highland), Lindores (Lowland), and Laphroaig (Islay).
- — Bourbon Flight ($19): a taste of three bourbons from one distillery; ask the server what is pouring today.
- — Macallan 12 year: a Scotch selection on the spirits list.
Pricing: Bourbon Flight $19; Scotch Flight $26
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