The orange crush, the Dewey Devil and Dogfish Head beers have long defined coastal Delaware’s beverage scene. But wine has long had a place at the beach, making the local scene easy to explore.
Consider the 2026 Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards, which recognize wine lists that complement a restaurant’s cuisine while offering quality, variety and value.
Benvenuto in Milford received the Best of Award of Excellence, the second-highest of the program’s three levels. Blue Moon, Eden and Lupo Italian Kitchen in Rehoboth Beach received Awards of Excellence. Lupo’s all-Italian selection is neatly organized into light, medium and full-bodied categories, making it easy for novices to find the right pairing.
Lupo has received the honor annually since 2017. Eden is Delaware’s longest-running Award of Excellence recipient, while Blue Moon has long paired its upscale American cuisine with a curated wine program.
This spring, Vino Del Mar opened in the former Lewes Diner at 1201 Savannah Road with a focus on wine. Owner Sharon Pole left a 20-year career in cybersecurity to open the restaurant. It offers selections in 3-, 6- and 9-ounce pours. Some wines are available on tap. The food menu includes shareable plates, charcuterie boards and flatbreads. Tastings, classes, wine dinners and other events are also part of the concept.
Boutique retailers also help customers navigate the options. Bin 66, located along Rehoboth’s Forgotten Mile, features selections curated by two sommeliers, owners Derrick Kelley and Riley Quinn. Bin 66 has a wine club and hosts in-store tastings.
Wine enthusiasts can also go directly to the source. Nassau Valley Vineyards near Lewes, founded by Peg Raley and her father, Bob, in 1987, pioneered commercial winemaking in Delaware. The winery offers tastings and self-guided tours of the property.
The newer Twin Branch Winery opened outside Milton in 2023 on 27 acres of family farmland. The winery has a tasting room, wine club, live music and space for weddings and private events. Near Frankford, Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery similarly positions the vineyard as a destination with tastings, festivals and a summer concert series.
Meanwhile, the coast has two wine-related companies. Sposato Family Vineyards is in Mendoza, Argentina, but the owners are local residents. Paul Cullen Wines is based in Lewes and offers a portfolio centered on Italian wines, including Barolo, Chianti, Barbera d’Asti, Roero Arneis, Prosecco and Lambrusco.
Grapes are not the only fruit, or agricultural product, being fermented. Mead is made primarily from honey and water, and styles can range from dry to sweet and from still to sparkling. Brimming Horn Meadery on Lewes-Georgetown Highway near Milton produces traditional meads as well as lighter, carbonated session meads, fruit wines and ciders.
Together, these businesses illustrate how much the beach beverage landscape has diversified.
The orange crush isn’t going anywhere. But at the Delaware beaches, wine increasingly deserves a toast of its own.
