Birmingham's Steak Night Just Got a Sommelier
Birmingham · American, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 10, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Armour House’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Armour House arrives looking exactly like what it is: a serious steakhouse program that knows its audience. California Cabs anchor the top, France and Italy fill the flanks, and the whole thing is held together by sommelier Caleb Reeves, who actually knows what's on the list — a welcome rarity in Birmingham's dining scene. Fresh off a 2025 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, this is a list that earned its credentials.
The 150-plus bottle list leans hard into the classic steakhouse trinity — California, Italy, France — and executes it without apology. Caymus and Stag's Leap cover the crowd-pleaser Cab territory, while Jordan brings a more restrained Sonoma counterpoint. Italy shows up properly, with Antinori Super Tuscans and Barolo producers like Ceretto making the case that red meat has more than one hometown. The Bordeaux château representation rounds things out for the old-world faithful, though adventurous drinkers looking for anything south of Italy or west of California will hit a wall fast.
Twelve to twenty options by the glass is a respectable spread for a steakhouse format, with pours staying under fifteen dollars — honest pricing for the room. The selection skews predictably toward what gets ordered with a ribeye, but there's enough range to navigate an entire meal without committing to a bottle.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $40–$60 (estimated bottle range)
Jordan consistently punches above its price point — structured, food-friendly, and far less showy than Opus One at a fraction of the damage to your wallet. It's the move if you want a proper California Cab without the markup guilt.
Ceretto Barolo
Most tables here are reaching for the California Cab section by reflex. The Barolo producers on this list — Ceretto included — are a smarter call with the dry-aged strip. Nebbiolo and charred beef is one of the great underappreciated pairings in American steakhouse dining, and Armour House has the bottles to prove it.
Opus One
It's Opus One at a steakhouse. The prestige tax is real, the markup is predictably punishing, and there are better bottles on this list that'll do more for your steak at half the price. Order it if it's someone else's card.
Antinori Super Tuscan + Dry-aged New York strip
A Super Tuscan's Sangiovese backbone and Cabernet structure is purpose-built for aged beef — the acidity cuts through the fat, the dark fruit matches the char, and the whole thing tastes more intentional than any domestic Cab in the same price tier.
The Bottom Line
Armour House is the reliable wine anchor Birmingham's upscale dining scene needed — Caleb Reeves keeps the program honest, and the Wine Spectator nod is deserved. Just order the Barolo instead of the Opus One and you'll leave happy.
Birmingham · Birmingham · American
Seasons 52 Birmingham is a dependable, well-maintained wine program that serves its California-loving audience exactly what they came for — nothing revelatory, but nothing to complain about either. If you're eating here and want a solid glass without fuss, you're in fine hands.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Birmingham · Birmingham · Italian, Steakhouse
Bellini's is the kind of reliable Italian-American wine list that delivers exactly what it promises — serious California and Italian bottles in a room that knows how to use them. The markups sting and there's no adventurous edge here, but if you want a proper bottle with your filet or osso buco in Birmingham, this is your spot.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Highland Ave · Birmingham · American
Galley & Garden is the best wine list in Birmingham proper, full stop — not because it's wildly adventurous, but because it's deep, well-kept, and taken seriously in a market where that's not guaranteed. Send your friends here when they want a real bottle with a real dinner.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Birmingham · Birmingham · New American
The Essential is doing something genuinely rare for Birmingham — building a wine list with actual conviction around natural wines and unexpected picks like sherry. It's not perfect, but it's the kind of place we'd send a friend who's tired of the same tired list.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown · Birmingham · Seafood
Bayonet is doing something genuinely rare for Birmingham: building a wine program that actually fits the food and doesn't gouge you for it. If you care about drinking well with your seafood, this place deserves a seat at the table.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Birmingham · French
Rêve is doing something genuinely unusual in Birmingham — serious French tasting menu energy with a wine list that largely keeps up — and the sommelier presence means you're in good hands if you let them guide you. Markups keep it from being a truly great wine destination, but as a complete dining experience, it earns its place on your short list.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Westwood · Los Angeles · American, Steakhouse
A Cabernet-first list with 30 glasses and a long bottle book, but no wine prices posted online. If you want a known price, the $9 happy hour Bonanza Cabernet by Caymus is the one posted figure, and if you want to step away from Cabernet, try the Il Bruciato Super Tuscan by the glass. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · American, Steakhouse
A very large list with a long glass section, from a $14 Muscadet to a $90 pour of Krug. Start with the $14/glass Mélon de Bourgogne, then look at the Arizona Selections page if you want an Arizona bottle, and confirm prices because the PDF says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Van Ness / Polk · San Francisco · American, Steakhouse
A serious steakhouse list with a glass program you can actually use: 32 pours by the stem from 14 to 99 and California Cabernet across eight pages. Start with the Keenan Cabernet at 22 by the stem, or step up to the Jordan Alexander Valley at 129 with the Porterhouse, and ask which vintages are current since the list is subject to vintage change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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