Rockefeller power lunch, solid wine game
Midtown · New York · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026 · How we review
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
Opening the wine list at Del Frisco's Grille feels like a greatest-hits playlist of California cabernet — familiar, crowd-tested, and built for the business expense account crowd at 50 Rock. That's not a knock; it's just honest. What surprises you is that the prices aren't trying to rob you in a neighborhood that absolutely could get away with it.
The 200-300 bottle list leans hard into California with supporting roles from France and Italy — exactly what Wine Spectator flagged when they handed out the Best of Award of Excellence back in 2015, and the list has held that standard. You've got the full California cabinet: Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Stag's Leap, Duckhorn, Beringer Private Reserve, and Opus One for when someone's closing a deal. Louis Jadot represents France without much depth behind it, and Italy feels like an afterthought. The gaps are real — if you want Rhône, Willamette, or anything from the Southern Hemisphere, you're out of luck.
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass is genuinely strong for a steakhouse format, and the range at $14–$30 a glass covers everything from a La Crema Pinot for the table skeptic to a Far Niente Cabernet for someone who means business. The Wednesday half-price wine night is a legitimately good deal — drop in mid-week and a $28 Far Niente glass becomes $14, which is the kind of math that makes dinner feel justified.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma 2020 — $22
Jordan by the glass at $22 in Midtown Manhattan is a genuine win. This is a $40+ bottle retail, from one of Sonoma's most reliable names, and it holds its own against anything on this list twice the price.
Château St. Jean Cinq Cépages 2019
Most people here are chasing the Opus One flex or defaulting to Caymus, which means Cinq Cépages at $16 a glass gets overlooked. It's a Bordeaux-style Sonoma blend with actual structure and age-worthiness — the most interesting pour on the list that nobody orders.
Opus One 2018
At $65 a glass it's not egregious for Opus One, but you're paying for the name on a busy Tuesday night in a lively dining room. The wine deserves better than ambient noise and a rushed pour — save it for somewhere that will actually let it breathe.
Duckhorn Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 + Dry-Aged Bone-In Ribeye
Duckhorn's Napa Cab at $24 a glass has the dark fruit and structured tannins to stand up to a dry-aged ribeye without either one bullying the other. It's the kind of pairing that doesn't need explaining — it just works.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night every Wednesday — applies to wine pours and potentially bottles; confirm with staff on your visit.
The Bottom Line
Del Frisco's Grille isn't pushing boundaries, but it's doing the fundamentals right — fair prices, a solid California-forward list, and a Wednesday half-price program that's worth putting in the calendar. Send a friend here if they want reliable, accessible wine without getting gouged in Midtown.
Midtown · New York · French Brasserie
La Grande Boucherie earns its place as a reliable stop for wine in Midtown, especially if you're leaning French. The glass list is genuinely wide and has some smart picks buried in it — the Fleurie and the Wiemer Riesling both punch above their price points. Markups trend steep as you climb the bottle list, so your money works hardest in the by-the-glass section. If you're here for the brasserie experience, the wine program holds up its end of the deal.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Steakhouse
BLT Prime's wine program is glass-only, which limits your options if you came for a big bottle moment, but the pricing is honest and the selection is more thoughtful than most steakhouses bother with. If you're keeping it casual and ordering by the glass, you can drink well here without feeling taken advantage of — and that's not nothing in this city.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
The Palm Midtown is not where you'd expect to find Puzelat and Ruth Lewandowski sitting next to each other on a wine list — which is exactly what makes it worth a second look. Six bottles is a short menu, but all six are defensible picks at prices that don't insult you. If you're in the mood to trust the list and not overthink it, this works.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murray Hill · New York · Classic American Steakhouse
Wolfgang's is a reliable steakhouse wine experience in the sense that you know exactly what you're getting: a list built around the bottle you already know, priced for the room you're sitting in. If you're here to close a deal over a Porterhouse for Two, the wine list will do its job without embarrassing anyone — but it's not going to surprise you, and it's almost certainly going to cost more than it should. Go in with eyes open and a strong second-choice red in mind.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is a rare thing in New York: a focused, regionally coherent program that commits hard to Greek and Eastern Mediterranean varieties without making you feel like you need a flashcard to order. The by-the-glass selection alone — 18 options, all under $18, featuring producers most wine lists wouldn't touch — makes this worth visiting even before the food arrives. If you eat here and order a Cabernet, that's on you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Italian
A long bottle list with Italian, Burgundy and Champagne sections, fronted by a 22-wine glass page. For a glass, try the Skerk Orange Wine from Friuli at 25/95, and for a bottle on a lighter budget, the Volpaia Vermentino at 60; upstairs in the café, the labeled list pours Palistorti di Valgiano's orange Tuscan blend at Glass $22. Confirm prices before you order, because the site's Upstairs Café dinner menu and the beverage PDF do not match. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown Roswell · Roswell · American
Canton St. Social is a solid neighborhood restaurant in historic downtown Roswell, and the wine program appears to be built for exactly that — supporting a good night out without overcomplicating things. We don't have enough sourced wine data to tell you what to order, which means your best move is to ask your server what's pouring well that night and go from there. Worth a visit for the food and atmosphere; the wine list is a work in progress as far as our research goes.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Worcester · American
The Boynton is a great neighborhood spot for a cold beer, a burger, and a game — and that's exactly what it should be. The wine program is along for the ride, not driving the car. If wine matters to you tonight, this isn't your destination; if you're here for the food and the vibe, order a beer and enjoy it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Atlanta · Atlanta · American
Hard Rock Cafe Atlanta's wine list is a Lazy List by every measure — grocery store brands, steep markups, no specials, and a rotating staff with little incentive to know what's in the glass. If you're here for the memorabilia and the atmosphere, lean into a cocktail or a beer. If wine is non-negotiable, the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling or Columbia Crest Cab will get you through the night without regret.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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