South Florida's Steakhouse Wine List Done Right
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · American, Farm to Table · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Daniel's arrives with the kind of confidence you'd expect from a well-appointed steakhouse that just earned a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence. It's California-forward, Italy-fluent, and France-curious — a serious list for a serious room. Three hundred to five hundred bottles deep, this is not a place that phoned it in.
The California backbone is exactly what you want at a steakhouse: Caymus, Silver Oak, Stag's Leap, Jordan, and Opus One are all present, covering the spectrum from crowd-pleaser to special-occasion splurge. Italy earns real respect here — Antinori Tignanello, Gaja Barbaresco, and Sassicaia are the kind of names that signal a buyer who actually knows their Super Tuscans and Piedmont. France shows up with Château Margaux and Louis Jadot Burgundy, though it feels more like supporting cast than a deep bench. The list skews heavily red and classic, so if you're hunting for adventurous whites or anything remotely natural, you'll come up short.
With 20 to 35 by-the-glass options priced between $12 and $25, the pour program is generous for a steakhouse of this caliber. That upper range gives you access to real bottles without committing to a full order, which is a legitimate win on a date night. Rotation appears static rather than seasonal, but the selection is broad enough that most tables will find something that works.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $50–$80 range
Jordan is consistently one of the most reliable Cabs in California for the money — structured, food-friendly, and approachable without being boring. At a steakhouse where Opus One is the ceiling, Jordan is the smart play that still drinks like a proper bottle.
Louis Jadot Burgundy
Every table around you is ordering Cabernet, which means the Jadot Burgundy is getting ignored. A well-sourced Jadot — whether it's a village Gevrey or a Côte de Beaune — is going to sing next to a properly cooked filet in a way that Caymus simply won't. Most people sleep on it here and that's a mistake.
Opus One
Look, Opus One is a genuinely excellent wine — but at a steakhouse with a steep markup structure, you're paying a significant premium over retail for a bottle that's already trading on its name more than its value. The bragging rights cost extra, and the juice in your glass won't taste that different from a Silver Oak at half the price.
Antinori Tignanello + Prime dry-aged ribeye
Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend has the acidity to cut through the fat of a dry-aged ribeye while the dark fruit and leather notes match the char. It's a cross-continental handshake that works better than most of the all-California options on this list.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Daniel's is a legitimate Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence earner — the list is deep, the heavy hitters are all here, and the room is built for serious wine drinking. The markups sting and there's no sommelier pushing you toward discovery, but if you know what you're looking for, this is one of Fort Lauderdale's best bottles-over-dinner experiences.
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Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · Italian, Floridian
La Fuga earns its Wine Spectator hardware with a focused Italian-California list that does right by the food — just be prepared for steep markups on the prestige bottles. Send a friend here when they want serious Italian wine with their pasta and a view.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · Italian
Anthony's Runway 84 is a Fort Lauderdale institution that knows its audience and delivers exactly what it promises: big Napa names, old-school Italian comfort, and no surprises. Wine-forward diners may find the list a little safe, but the Italian highlights and the fresh Wine Spectator Award of Excellence signal that someone here is paying attention — even if the list isn't ready to take risks.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Steak 954 is a legitimately strong wine program for a beach hotel steakhouse — deep on the producers that matter, proper storage, and a by-the-glass count that punches above its weight. Markups are what they are at this address, but if you pick smart, this is a great place to drink wine with a serious piece of beef.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Fort Lauderdale Beach · Fort Lauderdale · French, Japanese
MAASS is the real thing — a sommelier-driven program with genuine depth, proper glassware, and staff that actually knows what's in the cellar. Markups run steep at the top end, but this is a Best of Award of Excellence list for a reason, and it earns every bit of the credential.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · Brazilian Steakhouse
Chima isn't a wine bar wearing a steakhouse costume — it's a legitimate churrascaria that happens to have built a wine program worth respecting. Pricing runs steep across the board, but Wednesday half-price night changes the math entirely, and the Argentine and Italian selections give you real choices beyond the usual California parade.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
Wallingford · Seattle · American, Farm to Table
Atoma is the rare neighborhood restaurant where the wine list was clearly built by someone who actually cares — Old World focus, fair prices, and a 2025 Wine Spectator credential that's earned rather than inherited. If you live near Wallingford and haven't been drinking Friulian whites with your pasta here, you're leaving value on the table.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Dorset · Dorset · American, Farm to Table
Barrows House isn't destination wine drinking, but it's honest, fairly priced, and thoughtfully stocked for what it is — a warm New England inn that wants you to enjoy your meal. If you're staying the night, you won't regret working through this list.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Manchester · Manchester · American, Farm to Table
The Reluctant Panther is exactly what a Vermont inn wine list should be — considered, properly maintained, and fair enough on price that you don't feel penalized for ordering well. No fireworks, but consistently worth drinking from.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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