Byrd and Baldwin Bros. Steakhouse
Napa's Greatest Hits, Dressed to the Nines
Downtown Norfolk · Norfolk · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 25, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walking into Byrd and Baldwin, the wine list arrives like a formal introduction — thick, serious, and wearing a tuxedo. Two hundred-plus bottles, a sommelier on the floor, and a room that clearly takes the ritual of steak and Cabernet very personally. This is a place that believes in the classics, and the list doesn't try to hide it.
Selection Deep Dive
Napa Valley is the undisputed star here — Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Duckhorn, and Opus One anchor a Cabernet-forward lineup that reads like a greatest hits album for American fine dining. Bordeaux and Burgundy round things out on the Old World side, giving the list some geographic range without straying too far from the comfort zone. Don't come looking for Jura oddities or skin-contact anything — this list is built for prime dry-aged beef and guests who know what they want before they sit down. The depth is real, but the adventurousness is not.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty pours by the glass is genuinely impressive for a steakhouse of this caliber, and the sommelier's presence means those selections are likely rotated with some intention. Expect the glass program to lean heavily on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, which makes sense given the menu. If you're flying solo or want to explore before committing to a bottle, this is a solid setup.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — null
Jordan consistently overdelivers for its price point in the steakhouse context — it's structured enough for a ribeye but approachable enough that you're not waiting an hour for it to open up. In a lineup that includes Opus One, Jordan is the smart play for anyone who wants Napa Cab without the trophy-wine markup.
Duckhorn Merlot
Everyone in the room is ordering Cabernet, which means the Duckhorn Merlot just sits there waiting for someone paying attention. It's a serious wine — plummy, structured, with enough weight to hold up to the filet — and it almost always comes in cheaper than the marquee Cabs on a list like this. Don't let the M-word scare you off.
Opus One
Opus One is a genuinely great wine, but at a steakhouse with four-times retail markup, you're paying a significant premium for the name on the label. The dining room experience doesn't add anything to what's in the glass that you couldn't get from Jordan or Silver Oak for considerably less money. Save Opus One for a bottle shop and a night at home.
Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon + Prime dry-aged ribeye
Silver Oak's Alexander Valley Cab is built for exactly this moment — the vanilla-tinged oak, the dark fruit, the firm tannins that cut through the fat of a well-marbled dry-aged ribeye. It's a textbook pairing, and sometimes textbooks are right.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Byrd and Baldwin is a confident, polished steakhouse wine program that knows exactly what its guests want and delivers it without apology. If you came for Napa Cab and a bone-in strip, this list has your back — just watch the markups on the prestige bottles.
Comments
Get the Weekly Wingman
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.