White linens, California focus, legit sommelier on staff
Myrtle Beach · Myrtle Beach · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 27, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Aspen Grille’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walking into Aspen Grille, the white linen tablecloths and personalized napkin service signal that this place takes the dining experience seriously — and that extends to the wine list. Wine Spectator has handed them an Award of Excellence every year since 2021, which means someone here is paying attention. With a certified sommelier (Amanda Kirby) running the program, you're in more capable hands than most of Myrtle Beach's beachside competition.
The list leans hard into California, which makes sense for a white-tablecloth steakhouse crowd that wants Napa Cabs with their ribeyes. The Wine Spectator credential suggests the selection is curated with care rather than just tossed together from a distributor catalog. That said, the California focus means you shouldn't expect a deep dive into Burgundy or the Rhône — this list is built to satisfy, not to surprise. If you're hunting for obscure Jura or skin-contact Slovenian, you've made a wrong turn.
By-the-glass specifics aren't published, but a program with a resident sommelier and a Wine Spectator award almost always means the glass pours are thoughtfully chosen rather than just the cheapest bottles cracked open. We'd expect a handful of California-focused options anchoring the list, with hopefully a white or rosé for the seafood side of the menu. Ask Amanda — that's what she's there for.
Unknown — specific wine data unavailable — N/A
We weren't able to pull specific bottle names and prices from the current list. Ask your server for the sommelier's current value pick from California — that conversation will get you further than any printed recommendation.
Unknown — specific wine data unavailable
With a sommelier on staff and a Wine Spectator-vetted list, there's almost certainly something worth asking about beyond the obvious Napa Cabernet. Press Amanda on what she's excited about right now.
Unknown — specific wine data unavailable
Without current pricing data we can't call out a specific bottle, but at any upscale steakhouse, the big-brand Napa Cabs at the top of the list tend to be the worst value per dollar. Go a tier below the household names.
California Cabernet Sauvignon + Ribeye
The list is built around California reds and the kitchen is built around beef — this is the core logic of the entire wine program. A structured Napa Cab with the ribeye is exactly what Aspen Grille is designed to deliver.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Aspen Grille is the most credentialed wine destination in Myrtle Beach by a wide margin — a real sommelier, a Wine Spectator award, and white linen service in a beach town that mostly wants frozen cocktails. It's not a deep cellar, but it's the right call when you want wine that was actually chosen by someone who knows what they're doing.
Arcadian Shores / Restaurant Row · Myrtle Beach · Italian
Crave punches above its Myrtle Beach zip code on the Italian side of the list, but the markups are beach-town steep and the by-the-glass program needs more ambition. If you're here, dig into the Italian bottles and leave the California brand parade alone.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Coastal Grand Mall area · Myrtle Beach · Mexican
Abuelo's wine program is an afterthought dressed up as a wine list — four California bottles, grocery-store-level selection, and markups that don't reward curiosity. Order a margarita and don't look back.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Myrtle Beach / Restaurant Row · Myrtle Beach · Brazilian steakhouse / churrascaria
Rioz is a genuinely fun place to eat — the meat service is relentless and the energy is high — but the wine program is an afterthought in a room that deserves better. Order the Malbec, enjoy the picanha, and don't come here expecting anything from the wine list.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Myrtle Beach Intracoastal · Myrtle Beach · Seafood, Ribs, Burgers, Sushi, American Bar & Grill
Boardwalk Billy's is a fun spot to eat and drink a cold beer on the water — lean into that. The wine list is an afterthought stocked with recognizable labels that require zero effort from anyone involved, and the markup doesn't justify the selection. Order a cocktail or a local draft and save the wine night for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murrells Inlet MarshWalk · Myrtle Beach · Seafood
Drunken Jack's isn't a wine destination — it's a great seafood spot on a beautiful stretch of South Carolina coast that happens to have a wine list that won't embarrass itself. Order the Macon-Villages or Pine Ridge blend, watch the marsh at sunset, and stop overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murrells Inlet MarshWalk · Myrtle Beach · Seafood / Sushi
Wicked Tuna's wine list is a reliable, unfussy companion to a genuinely fun waterfront dining experience — it won't wow anyone, but it won't let anyone down either. Come for the sushi, the sunset, and the $2-off happy hour pours; just don't come expecting to geek out over the cellar.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Traverse City · American
Warehouse Kitchen + Cork won't win any awards for depth or ambition, but it plays its hand honestly — fair prices, solid local representation, and a full by-the-glass program that respects your wallet. If you're in Traverse City and want a glass of something local with a water view, this works.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Truckee · Truckee · American
Sunnyside is a casual lodge restaurant wearing a serious wine list under its flannel — the markup is steep and it won't win any awards for staff expertise, but the producer lineup is legitimately impressive for where you're sitting. If you're already at the lake, this is absolutely worth ordering a real bottle.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Chamblee · Atlanta · American
Lagarde's wine annex isn't going to show up on any must-visit wine destination lists, but it's doing the honest work of making good-enough wine accessible at fair prices with a few genuine bright spots buried in the lineup. Send a friend here who wants to try something a little off the beaten path without getting a lecture about it.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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