Crowd-pleasing list, solid enough to impress a date
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · Steakhouse / New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 29, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Del Frisco's Grille’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Del Frisco's Grille hands you a wine list that reads exactly like what you'd expect from a polished, bar-forward steakhouse chain — recognizable names, approachable structure, zero surprises. It's curated for the expense-account crowd and date-night crowd alike, which means the hits are reliable even if the ceiling isn't very high. At 35 labels, it's compact enough to navigate without a map but not deep enough to geek out on.
The list is organized into sparkling, whites, rosé, and reds, and it leans heavily on crowd-favorite producers over discovery. You've got Nicolas Feuillatte and Moët leading the bubbles section — respectable, if a little predictable. The whites show some genuine range: a La Chablisienne Le Finage Chablis and a Domaine de l'Ermitage Sancerre give the white wine section some Old World credibility, while Rombauer Chardonnay anchors the California contingent for guests who know what they want before they sit down. Reds are where the list thins out considerably — we spotted a Château Tour Bayard Montagne-Saint-Émilion and a house-branded Del Frisco's Lot 1981 Reserve Cabernet, but anyone looking for depth beyond Napa-centric bottles is going to feel the gaps.
We don't have a confirmed by-the-glass count or pricing breakdown, which is frustrating at a restaurant with this kind of bar energy — pour programs should be front and center. Based on the list composition and the brand's broader model, we'd expect a standard selection of 8-12 pours cycling through the usual suspects. If you're here solo at the bar, ask the staff what's open; with a sommelier on deck, you've got a shot at a better answer than the menu alone provides.
The Bottom Line
Del Frisco's Grille is a reliable wine stop if you know what you're doing and keep expectations tuned to 'comfortable chain steakhouse' rather than 'serious wine destination.' The sommelier presence is real, the list is competent, and a few smart picks — particularly in the whites — reward guests who look past the Rombauer and Whispering Angel.
· Irvine · New American
Benchmark is a genuinely pleasant surprise for Irvine — a short, owner-driven list that punches above its modest size by leaning hard into Paso Robles producers who actually deserve your attention. If you're a Cab-or-nothing drinker, you might feel constrained; if you're willing to follow the owner's enthusiasm toward Law Estate Grenache or a Bodega de Edgar Tempranillo, this list rewards the curious.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · New American
Reunion Kitchen isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list proves it. Three by-the-glass pours from mass-market California producers, priced at a premium — this is a wine program on autopilot. Order a cocktail or a beer and save the wine for somewhere that actually thought about it.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Corona del Mar · Irvine · New American and Seafood
CdM is genuinely worth your Wednesday. Half-price wine on an already polished dinner menu is a real offer, and the room alone justifies a reservation. We just can't tell you which bottle to order yet — the wine program is opaque enough that you'd be flying blind without a server who actually knows the list. Come for the Dirty Pasta and the vibe; if the wine follows, consider it a bonus.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Irvine Business Complex · Irvine · Northern Italian Steakhouse
Davio's Irvine is the wine list equivalent of a reliable business-class seat — comfortable, well-organized, and priced at a premium you'll notice. The by-the-glass program is the real strength here; thirty options with some genuinely good producers mixed in means you can eat well and drink reasonably well in the same visit. If you're hoping to geek out on the bottle list or find anything that'll make you lean forward in your chair, keep looking — but for a weeknight dinner or a client meal, this gets the job done without embarrassing anyone.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Coast Plaza · Irvine · Seafood
Water Grill South Coast Plaza has built a white-wine-forward list that's genuinely well-suited to what's on the plate — smart European picks alongside reliable California anchors, and enough BTG options to keep things interesting across a long meal. Markups run steep in places, especially on the recognizable names, but the value plays are there if you know where to look. For a seafood-focused dinner in Irvine, this is one of the better wine programs you'll find without driving to the coast.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · Eclectic American
Rutabegorz isn't trying to be a wine destination — and that's fine, because the pricing is honest enough that wine actually works here as a casual add-on rather than a line item you regret. If you're eating here, order the Rancho Sisquoc Riesling and feel slightly smarter than the table next to you ordering the Josh.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McMinnville · Steakhouse / New American
The Barberry is doing what a good wine-country restaurant should: leaning into its backyard, staffing the floor with someone who actually knows wine, and pairing it with a menu worth drinking through. We don't have the full list in hand to dig into specifics, but the bones are right. If you're already in McMinnville for the wine, this is a dinner worth booking.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Georgetown · Georgetown · Steakhouse / New American
Wildfire isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it respects wine enough to build a real list at fair prices — and that's more than most Texas steakhouses bother to do. If you're in Georgetown and want something more interesting than the usual suspect bottles, this is your spot.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Beaver Creek · Vail · Steakhouse / New American
Grouse Mountain Grill is building a wine list that belongs in a serious city restaurant, not just a ski lodge — and that's the compliment. The markups are real and the trophy bottles are priced for people who don't look at the right column, but the depth, the curation, and the occasional wild swing (1993 Eyrie, Sadie Family Wines) earn this a Rager badge without much argument.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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