California Cab Heaven in Cherry Creek
Cherry Creek · Denver · American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed 801 Chophouse’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list lands like a confident handshake — 400 to 600 bottles deep, California-forward, and completely unapologetic about it. This is a steakhouse wine list built to move serious Cabernet, and it does that job extremely well. Wine Spectator has handed out Best of Award of Excellence honors here every year since 2017, and one look at the lineup tells you why.
California dominates and rightfully so — Caymus, Silver Oak, Far Niente, Jordan, Stag's Leap, Dominus, and Opus One are all present, covering the spectrum from crowd-pleasing to genuinely cellar-worthy. France gets its due with Chateau Margaux and Chateau Lynch-Bages anchoring a Bordeaux section that pairs naturally with the aged prime beef program. Italy shows up with Tignanello and Sassicaia, which is exactly the right call — Super Tuscans belong at a steakhouse. The list doesn't venture far off the beaten path, but within its lane it's thorough, well-curated, and clearly maintained by someone who cares.
With 20 to 35 options by the glass, there's enough range that you won't feel cornered into a bottle if you're not ready to commit. Expect the glass program to skew California red — this is not the place to hunt for obscure by-the-glass Burgundy. Nicolas Eymar is the sommelier on staff and his fingerprints show in a glass program that makes sense for the room.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $80–$120
Jordan is the sleeper of the California Cab set — elegant, food-friendly, and priced below the Caymus and Silver Oak crowd at most lists. At a steakhouse where markups run high, this is often your best entry point into a quality bottle without feeling like you got robbed.
Chateau Lynch-Bages
Most tables here are chasing California icons, which means the Bordeaux section gets overlooked. Lynch-Bages is a Pauillac that punches well above its fifth-growth classification and is exactly the kind of structured, dark-fruited wine that holds its own next to a prime ribeye — often sitting in the shadow of flashier names on the list.
Opus One
Opus One is a genuinely great wine, but at a steakhouse with a four-plus times retail markup, you're paying a significant premium for the label recognition. The wine will be fine. The value won't.
Antinori Tignanello + USDA Prime Ribeye
Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend brings enough acidity to cut through the fat of a prime ribeye while the structure and dark fruit match the char on the crust. It's a slightly unexpected move in a room full of California Cabs, and it works better than most people expect.
The Bottom Line
801 Chophouse is exactly what it promises — a serious steakhouse with a serious wine list, a credentialed sommelier, and zero ambiguity about what you're getting. Markups are what they are in this category, but if you're dropping money on a prime steak dinner in Denver, this is the room to do it in.
· Denver · Steakhouse
STK Denver is a place where wine exists to support a vibe, not to excite a drinker. If you're here for the scene and the steak, grab a glass of Bonanza at happy hour and call it a night — but don't come expecting the wine list to be part of the experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Denver · Denver · American, Steakhouse
Range is a confident, well-kept steakhouse list that won't surprise you but absolutely won't let you down — especially if California Cabs are your language. Just come in with your eyes open on pricing, and let Dan steer you toward the Jordan.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Cherry Creek · Denver · American, Seafood
Salt Water Social plays it safe with wine but plays it well — California classics at fair prices, with a Wednesday half-price night that makes it a genuine weekly option. No one's discovering anything new here, but you won't be disappointed either.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Denver · Denver · Regional Steakhouse
Urban Farmer is a solid, no-drama wine stop for anyone who loves California Cab and wants a proper glass with a well-cooked steak. It won't surprise you, but it won't disappoint you either — and in Denver's steakhouse scene, that's worth something.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
LoDo · Denver · Mediterranean, Spanish
Rioja earned its Wine Spectator nod, and then some — a Spanish wine list this focused and this well-stocked is rare anywhere, let alone Denver. If Spain is your thing, or you want it to become your thing, this is the room.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Denver · Denver · Italian
Restaurant Olivia is the kind of neighborhood Italian spot that quietly holds a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and earns it without making a fuss about it. Send your friends who think Denver can't do wine right — this list will change the conversation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· McLean · American Steakhouse
We don't fully understand how a six-bottle list this good ended up at The Palm Tysons Corner, but here we are. If you're eating here and care about wine at all, this list deserves your attention — especially that Sancerre at $23. It's a small program, but it's a thoughtful one, and in a category full of lazy steakhouse lists, that counts for a lot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· The Woodlands · American Steakhouse
We're working with event-night evidence, not a full house list, so drawing firm conclusions about Del Frisco's Grille's everyday wine program would be dishonest. What we can say is that a six-wine promotional dinner built around one producer family isn't a reason to make this your wine destination. Come for the steakhouse experience — but don't expect the wine list to be the main event.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
· Ashburn · American Steakhouse
Eddie Merlot's is a dependable upscale steakhouse that delivers on the beef side of the equation. The wine program appears to be functional rather than inspired — a crowd-pleasing list built to sell confidently, not to excite. If you're coming for a business dinner or a straightforward date night and want a Napa Cab with your prime-aged ribeye, you'll be just fine. If you want something to talk about on the drive home, you might need to bring your own bottle or do a little pre-visit homework.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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