Big Reds, Big Steaks, No Surprises
Victor · Rochester · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 19, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Char Steakhouse’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Char reads exactly like you'd expect from a polished suburban steakhouse: heavy on California Cabs, short on imagination. It's a crowd-pleaser built for people who already know what they want before they sit down. Nothing wrong with that — but don't come here looking to be surprised.
The list leans hard into Napa and Sonoma, with marquee names like Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, and Stag's Leap doing most of the heavy lifting. Washington State gets a nod, and Bordeaux shows up as the token old-world gesture. There's no real exploration here — no Rhône, no Rioja, no Barolo to speak of — just the greatest hits of American red wine culture. If you love Cab and only Cab, you'll be fine; if you're hoping for a Burgundy or a white wine worth ordering, manage expectations accordingly.
The by-the-glass program runs 12-20 options, which is respectable for a steakhouse of this size. Expect the usual suspects — a Chardonnay, a token rosé, and several Cabs anchoring the red side. Rotation appears minimal; this feels like a static list that gets refreshed when a bottle runs dry, not because someone's excited about what's new.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — null
Jordan consistently over-delivers for the tier — it's elegant, food-friendly, and doesn't demand you remortgage anything. At a restaurant where the heavy hitters start climbing fast, Jordan is the move if you want quality without the Caymus premium.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Most tables at a place like this reach for Caymus on autopilot. Stag's Leap is the smarter pick — more structure, more complexity, and a Napa legacy that actually earned its reputation on the international stage. It tends to get overlooked next to the flashier labels.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Look, Caymus is fine. It's also everywhere, aggressively marketed, and marked up to the moon at steakhouses nationwide. You're paying a significant premium for a brand, not for a better bottle. The Jordan and Stag's Leap both outperform it on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon + Dry-Aged Ribeye
Silver Oak Alexander Valley is softer and more approachable than its Napa counterpart — which makes it a natural match for a well-marbled dry-aged ribeye. The fruit-forward profile meets the fat without overwhelming the beef's complexity. Classic for a reason.
The Bottom Line
Char is a safe, competent steakhouse wine list that gets the job done if your job is drinking California Cab with a big cut of beef. Just know you're paying for comfort and familiarity, not discovery.
Downtown · Rochester · American Steakhouse
CHAR makes it easy to try Finger Lakes wine alongside the steakhouse standards. Our move is Hosmer Cabernet Franc at $16/glass, with Panizzi Vernaccia at $14 for anyone leaning white. Check the per-ounce pricing before ordering a Coravin pour.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Neighborhood of the Arts · Rochester · Contemporary American with Italian and French inspiration
Avvino is the rare neighborhood restaurant where the wine list is a genuine reason to show up, not an afterthought. If you're in Rochester and you care about drinking well, this is your room.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Brighton / Monroe Ave · Rochester · Contemporary American with Italian and French influences
Avvino is the kind of wine-forward neighborhood restaurant Rochester deserves more of — nearly 200 bottles, a sommelier, and a standing half-price Wednesday that makes a solid splurge genuinely accessible. It's not reinventing the wine list, but it's doing the right things consistently enough that we'd send a friend here without hesitation.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Village Gate / NOTA · Rochester · Farm-to-Table / New American
Lento isn't trying to be a wine destination, but its list is thoughtful enough that it kind of becomes one by accident — especially if you care about Finger Lakes wines in their natural habitat. Send your friends here, let them order the Duck Confit, and point them toward the Cab Franc.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pittsford · Rochester · Refined Seasonal American with Wood-Fired Pizzas
jojo Pittsford is the kind of wine program that makes you want to cancel your dinner reservation somewhere else. For a bistro in suburban Rochester, this list is genuinely exciting — send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
East Avenue / Winton · Rochester · Traditional Italian
Ristorante Lucano is a reliable Italian dinner with a wine list that doesn't embarrass itself — Italy-focused, anchored by classics, a bit overpriced but not offensively so. Send a friend here for a date night with the instruction to order the Barolo and not overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· 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
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