May 2026 bottle list with Finger Lakes sections; glasses from 13
Downtown · Rochester · American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed October 9, 2026 · How we review
Explore Char Steak & Lounge’s wine-list information. An overall rating has not been assigned. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Char's bottle list is a 31-page PDF marked "Updated 5.5.26," with separate Finger Lakes sections for sparkling, rosé, white and red, and it names Brian Combs as Wine Director. The restaurant says it is "the only restaurant in the greater Rochester area" to hold the 2026 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence.
Full-size Champagne bottles start at Louis de Sacy 'Originel' Brut at 89 and top out at Krug Vintage Brut 2008 at 562, with Dom Perignon 2013 at 504 and Armand de Brignac at 409. In the Finger Lakes you will find Hosmer Estate Red Blend NV at 38, Forge Cellars 'Classique' Dry Riesling 2022 at 60 and Ryan Williams Cabernet Franc 2021 at 64. Opus One bottles include the 2017 at 555 and 'Overture' NV at 228. Bottle prices are in a column headed $, and 375mL and 1.5L formats are labeled. Corkage is $45 per bottle, two bottles maximum per table, and the bottle should not be on the restaurant's list.
The Wine By The Glass list in the drinks menu PDF (linked as Spring 2026) posts two figures per wine. Whites include Il Corriere Pinot Grigio at 13 / 52, Panizzi Vernaccia at 14 / 54 and Ria's 'Grace' Dry Riesling at 16 / 62. Reds include Cascade Heights Cabernet Sauvignon at 13 / 52, Hosmer Cabernet Franc at 16 / 62 and Routestock Cabernet Sauvignon at 22 / 84. Coravin pours of Opus One 2022 are posted at 25/oz and 'Overture' at 10/oz. The second figure on each line is not labeled, so ask your server which is the glass and which is the bottle. Confirm the current selections.
The Bottom Line
Char's lists put a real Finger Lakes thread next to the big Champagne and Napa names. Start with the Panizzi Vernaccia at 14 or the Ria's 'Grace' Dry Riesling at 16 from the glass list, then look at the Finger Lakes bottles if you stay. Confirm availability and prices, since the drinks menu is linked as Spring 2026 and the bottle list is marked 5.5.26. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Rochester · Spanish & Mediterranean
A list of 14 wines posted with paired, unlabeled numbers and 14 bottles from $40 to $100, two of them from the Finger Lakes. Start with the Columna Albariño alongside the patatas bravas, or order the $40 Mille Reves Vouvray if you want a bottle for the table, and ask what the paired numbers in the Wine section stand for. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Park Ave · Rochester · Gastro-pub
A short, familiar 11-wine list for a gastro pub, with every price between $10 and $13 and no unit posted. Pair the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling or The Show Malbec with the Jumbo Chicken Wings, and ask whether those prices are per glass. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
South Wedge · Rochester · Italian
A one-page, Italy-first list of 31 wines where the two-price house pours run $10 to $12 and $36 to $42, and the top price is $90 for The Prisoner Cabernet. Start with the $40 Brancher Valdobbiadene Prosecco, and ask which price on the slash entries is the pour. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups, and the list is undated.
Woodcliff Hotel & Spa · Rochester · New American
A broad online list with a real Finger Lakes section and a few friendly glass pours. Order the $10 Hahn Pinot Noir or the $15 Apollo's Praise Scheurebe by the glass, or pick a New York bottle like the $35 Thirsty Owl Dry Riesling, and confirm current prices because the list is a live online menu. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Pittsford / Monroe Ave Corridor · Rochester · Upscale Steakhouse and Seafood
A steakhouse list built on familiar names, with a few surprises like a Finger Lakes Riesling, and no prices posted online. Order the 14 oz ribeye with the Jordan Cabernet from the Coravin list, or open with the Riesling, and ask for prices before you order. This unrated guide covers the posted wine program, not service, storage or retail markups.
Pittsford Plaza · Rochester · Sushi and Japanese-inspired contemporary dining
Start with the $15 glass of Bandol rosé or Green Rows Pinot Noir, and keep the $55 Green Rows bottle in mind if the table wants red. Confirm current availability and prices, since the menu is stamped 8-14-26. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
· McLean · American Steakhouse
We don't fully understand how a six-bottle list this good ended up at The Palm Tysons Corner, but here we are. If you're eating here and care about wine at all, this list deserves your attention — especially that Sancerre at $23. It's a small program, but it's a thoughtful one, and in a category full of lazy steakhouse lists, that counts for a lot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· The Woodlands · American Steakhouse
We're working with event-night evidence, not a full house list, so drawing firm conclusions about Del Frisco's Grille's everyday wine program would be dishonest. What we can say is that a six-wine promotional dinner built around one producer family isn't a reason to make this your wine destination. Come for the steakhouse experience — but don't expect the wine list to be the main event.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
· Ashburn · American Steakhouse
Eddie Merlot's is a dependable upscale steakhouse that delivers on the beef side of the equation. The wine program appears to be functional rather than inspired — a crowd-pleasing list built to sell confidently, not to excite. If you're coming for a business dinner or a straightforward date night and want a Napa Cab with your prime-aged ribeye, you'll be just fine. If you want something to talk about on the drive home, you might need to bring your own bottle or do a little pre-visit homework.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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