California Cabs Rule This Memphis Steak House
Memphis · Memphis · Steak House · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 24, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Char reads like a greatest hits album from the Napa Valley class of the 90s — Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Opus One. It's polished, it's predictable, and it's clearly built to satisfy a steakhouse crowd that knows what it wants and isn't interested in surprises.
California Cabernet is the clear center of gravity here, and Char leans into it hard with heavy hitters like Far Niente, Stag's Leap, and Chateau Montelena anchoring the list. France gets a respectable nod — Chateau Margaux and Chateau Lynch-Bages for the Bordeaux faithful, plus Louis Jadot holding down the Burgundy corner — but this is not a list built for the curious explorer. The 150-250 bottle range gives it some depth, but the selections skew toward recognizable labels over interesting producers. If you came looking for Jura or Ribera del Duero, keep looking.
With 12-20 pours available, the by-the-glass program is functional and steakhouse-appropriate, even if it doesn't stray far from the script. Expect the usual suspects — a Cab, a Chardonnay, maybe a Pinot — but don't expect much rotation or adventure. It gets the job done for a glass before your ribeye arrives.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $80
Jordan consistently punches above its price point in a sea of Napa names that charge twice as much for half the soul. On a list where bottles climb well past $300, Jordan is the move for a crowd-pleasing Cab that actually shows some restraint and finesse.
Chateau Lynch-Bages
Most people at a Memphis steakhouse are reaching for Caymus on autopilot. Lynch-Bages is a Pauillac fifth growth that routinely drinks like a second — structured, complex, and built for red meat. It gets overlooked next to Margaux's name recognition, but it's the smarter order at the table.
Opus One
Opus One is a steakhouse flex, not a wine choice. You're paying a significant premium for the label on a list where the markup is already working against you. The wine is fine — it's always fine — but the value equation doesn't hold up when Jordan and Lynch-Bages are sitting right there.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Crab Cakes
Counterintuitive, maybe, but Stag's Leap Cab has enough elegance and cherry-fruit softness that it doesn't bulldoze delicate crab. It's the rare Napa Cab that can bridge surf and turf without the crab waving a white flag.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Char is a dependable, well-executed steakhouse wine list that earned its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence by doing the classics right — but it's not trying to surprise you, and it won't. Send a friend here for a special occasion Cab and a steak; just don't expect the list to spark any new obsessions.
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