Washington's Best Bottles, Casino Floor Adjacent
Airway Heights · Spokane · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cabernet Steakhouse at Northern Quest’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list lands with the weight of a serious steakhouse that knows its audience — big reds, Pacific Northwest pride, and a few Napa trophies for the table ordering the Wagyu. It's not trying to be a wine bar; it's trying to be the best bottle you've had with a ribeye, and it mostly succeeds.
The list leans hard into Washington State, and rightly so — Walla Walla and Columbia Valley producers like Leonetti Cellar, Cayuse Vineyards, Quilceda Creek, and DeLille Cellars anchor a lineup that reads like a greatest hits of Pacific Northwest Cabernet and Syrah. Napa gets its due with Caymus Special Selection making an appearance, so the crowd that wants a California benchmark has an exit ramp. The 150-250 bottle range is solid for a casino steakhouse, though don't come looking for Burgundy depth or anything south of the equator. It's a focused list built around the menu — big protein, big wine, done.
Somewhere between 12 and 20 pours by the glass, which gives you real options before committing to a bottle. The entry-level glass pours — Sebastiani Alexander Valley and Louis Martini Sonoma Cab — are serviceable but nothing that's going to make you emotional. The glass program feels like it exists to warm people up for a bottle, not as a destination in itself.
Caymus Special Selection Napa Valley 2015 — $300
A $250 retail bottle for $300 at a high-end steakhouse is practically a rounding error. That's less than a 20% markup on one of Napa's most recognized names — in a segment where 3-4x markups are the norm, this is the rare trophy bottle that's actually worth ordering here.
DeLille Cellars Grand Ciel
Most tables walk past this one chasing the Leonetti or Quilceda Creek names they already know, but Grand Ciel from DeLille is a single-vineyard Red Mountain Cabernet that punches at their level with a lower profile — and likely a lower price tag. It's the Washington insider pick.
Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2012
Ten bucks a glass sounds approachable until you remember this is a $30 retail bottle — that's a 200% markup on a wine that's fine but forgettable. When you're sitting next to Leonetti and Cayuse on this list, Oberon is just taking up space and taking your money.
Cayuse Vineyards Syrah + Prime ribeye
Cayuse's Syrah comes from Walla Walla's volcanic basalt soils and delivers a savory, iron-and-black-pepper intensity that locks onto a well-marbled ribeye like they were designed for each other — because honestly, they kind of were.
The Bottom Line
Cabernet Steakhouse earns its name — the Washington State selection alone makes it worth a visit, and the Caymus Special Selection markup is genuinely shocking in the best way. Just don't let anyone pour you an Oberon by the glass and call it a night.
Kendall Yards · Spokane · Winery and craft distillery tasting room with small bites
Browne Family's Spokane room is a confident single-producer tasting experience done right — fair prices, knowledgeable pours, and a genuine case for why Washington State deserves your attention. Send a friend here if they think Washington wine is just an also-ran.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
West Downtown / Riverside · Spokane · Barbecue / American Tavern
The Blackbird is a genuinely good barbecue tavern that simply doesn't care about wine, and the steep markups on uninspired bottles make that indifference expensive. Come for the smoked meats and a cold beer — if you insist on wine, grab the Milbrandt and move on.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Fondue / Upscale Casual
The Melting Pot Spokane isn't a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — but the Washington State anchors on this list are genuinely good, and if you stick to those, you'll drink well enough for the occasion. Come for the fondue experience, order the Ste. Michelle, and save the serious wine night for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Hotel cocktail bar and lounge with small plates
1919 won't blow any minds, but for a hotel bar in downtown Spokane it earns genuine respect for keeping Washington State producers front and center. Come for the room, stay for the Beresan — just don't expect any surprises in the pricing.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Hotel Rooftop/Terrace Bar
The Grand Terrace Bar is a great place to drink wine in Spokane — just not necessarily great wine. Come for the skyline, order the Riesling, and save the serious bottle hunting for elsewhere.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Wine Bar
Barrister is a genuine Wild Card: a serious urban winery tucked into Spokane's rail district that most wine travelers blow past on their way to Walla Walla. If you're in eastern Washington and you haven't stopped here, you owe yourself a visit.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Greensboro · Steakhouse
Fleming's Greensboro is doing more than most chain steakhouses bother to do with wine — 42 by-the-glass options and actual Alsatian whites on a Greensboro wine list deserves acknowledgment. The markups are real and the list isn't going to surprise anyone who's been to a Fleming's before, but if you're eating a bone-in ribeye and want a proper glass without guesswork, this delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · Steakhouse
Bourbon Steak Irvine is running one of the most ambitious wine programs in Orange County — 225 labels, 31 by the glass, and a list with genuine personality beyond the expected steakhouse anchors. Markups get steep at the top end, but the by-the-glass range at the $15–$32 tier offers real drinking at fair prices. If you care about what's in your glass, this list rewards the attention.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Irvine · Steakhouse
The Capital Grille Costa Mesa is exactly what it is: a well-run corporate steakhouse with a Champagne list that punches above the room's ambition and a Chardonnay section that covers the safe California bases reliably. Markups are steep throughout and the list doesn't take any risks, but if you know what you want — a glass of Hartford Court or a bottle of Schramsberg before your steak — you'll be fine. Just don't come looking for discovery.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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