Black & Blue Steak and Crab

The wine list at Black & Blue Wellesley reads exactly like what you'd expect from a surf-and-turf chain: familiar faces, safe regions, and a Cabernet Sauvignon section that could double as a greatest-hits playlist. It's not broken, but it's not trying very hard either. What saves it from being a total shrug is a few genuinely decent picks tucked in among the usual suspects.

Forty-two labels sounds substantial until you notice that California dominates and there's barely a whisper of anything from Burgundy, the Rhône, or Spain beyond a token entry. The white side leans predictably on Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc, with Chalk Hill and Dry Creek Vineyards doing the heavy lifting. Reds are Cab-heavy — Joel Gott 815, Daou, and Greenwing all appear — which makes sense for a steakhouse but leaves drinkers who want a Sangiovese or a Syrah mostly empty-handed. The Argiano Non-Confunditur, a Tuscan blend, is the one moment the list steps outside the California comfort zone.

The menu is structured into White & Rosé by the glass, Red by the glass, and a separate Sommelier Selections by the glass tier, which at least signals some intentionality about the program. Without published glass prices it's impossible to say whether those Sommelier Selections represent value or a quiet upcharge, and that ambiguity is a little frustrating. The Chateau Routas Dry Rosé and Hermann J Wiemer Dry Riesling appearing in the by-the-glass lineup are both solid choices that suit a seafood-leaning menu well.