Peabody Elegance Backed By Solid Cellar Depth
Downtown Memphis · Memphis · American, French
Updated June 2026
Reviewed April 24, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Chez Philippe’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Chez Philippe inside The Peabody Hotel, the wine list arrives looking the part — leather-bound, serious, and about as formal as the dining room itself. The California and French focus is immediately clear, and holding down a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 1995 gives it a credibility that isn't just decorative. This is a list that has been tended to, even if it doesn't surprise you.
The 150-250 bottle range leans hard into the two regions that earn it its stripes: California Cabernet and French classics. You'll find the usual suspects — Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak, Stag's Leap, and Opus One on the California side, with Chateau Margaux and Louis Jadot anchoring the French column. It's a crowd-pleasing lineup done well rather than an adventurous deep-dive, and there's nothing wrong with that in a hotel fine-dining context. Burgundy fans will find Jadot as a reliable entry point, though the list doesn't venture into grower-producer territory or anything that would make a Côte de Nuits obsessive linger.
With 12-20 by-the-glass options, there's enough range to navigate a multi-course French-American dinner without getting stuck. Expect the glass program to mirror the bottle list's California-France axis — solid pours, predictable lineup. Rotation appears limited, so don't expect anything seasonal or spontaneous here.
Louis Jadot Burgundy — $60
In a room full of big California Cabs, the Jadot Burgundy is the smarter play — elegant, food-forward, and genuinely suited to the kitchen's French-leaning dishes. It typically represents fair value against the surrounding markup and holds its own on the table.
Chateau Ste. Michelle
Most eyes at this table will jump straight to Opus One or Chateau Margaux, but the Chateau Ste. Michelle is a sleeper — serious Washington state value that tends to get overlooked when France and Napa are competing for attention. Order it, feel smug.
Opus One
Opus One is a name that carries markup wherever it goes, and in a hotel fine-dining setting it carries even more. You're paying for the prestige as much as the wine, and at these prices there are better buys on the same list.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon + Filet mignon with fig reduction sauce
Jordan's structured but approachable Cab finds a natural match in the filet — the dark fruit in the wine echoes the fig reduction without fighting it, and the tannins hold up against the beef. It's a classic move that actually works.
The Bottom Line
Chez Philippe is the wine list of a well-run fine dining institution that has been doing this right for 30 years — not a revelation, but reliably good and properly stored in a room that knows how to use it. Send a friend here if they want California Cab with a French menu inside one of Memphis's great hotels; don't send them if they're looking for anything off the beaten path.
Midtown · Memphis · Steak House
Porch and Parlor is a reliable Southern steakhouse wine list that plays to its crowd — if you love California Cabernet with your dry-aged beef, you're in the right place. It won't challenge you, but it'll take care of you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Memphis · Memphis · Steak House
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Cooper-Young · Memphis · Italian
Bari is the kind of Italian wine program Memphis deserves more of — specific, serious, and fairly priced for what you're getting. If you're anywhere near Cooper-Young and want to drink real Italian wine with real Italian food, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Unknown · Memphis · Bistro
Hu. Bistro isn't trying to be a wine destination, but its by-the-glass list is priced fairly and built with more care than you'd expect from a hotel rooftop. If you're in Memphis and want a decent glass without getting gouged for the privilege, this works.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Memphis · New American
The Beauty Shop is a Wild Card in the best possible way — a funky, retro-cool restaurant with a wine list that has no business being this thoughtful. Markups keep it from greatness, but the glass pour selection and genuine regional variety make it worth ordering a bottle or three.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Memphis · Memphis · Seafood, Cajun & Creole
Half Shell is a genuinely charming spot with food worth coming back for — but the wine list is coasting hard on the restaurant's atmosphere and doing almost nothing to earn its markups. Drink the Vinho Verde, skip the red wine section entirely, and put your money toward another round of oysters.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown East · New York · American, French
A Park Avenue restaurant whose posted wine list is a 21-wine glass list. Start with the $18 Leitz Riesling or the $19 Ogier Saint-Joseph. No bottle list is posted online, so ask the restaurant what is available by the bottle. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
College Hill · Providence · American, French
A Cabernet-heavy list from autumn 2025, with glass pours from 10 and bottles up to a 450 Opus One. Start with the 10 Château du Petit Thouars Cabernet Franc, or the 16 Fontanafredda Nebbiolo if you want something from Piedmont, and check that the list is still current since it is marked September 2025. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Dupont Circle · Washington · American, French
Start with the Minuty Prestige rosé at 20 or the Château de Saint-Cosme Syrah at 22 by the glass, and save the Dagueneau for the table that wants a bottle. The glass page is the cheaper way in, with thirteen wines between 20 and 34. The file is linked as 9-26, so confirm today's pours and prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or retail markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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