Casino steakhouse wine that won't embarrass you
Lark Street · Albany · American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 7, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Duke's Chophouse’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Duke's is a casino steakhouse, and the wine list makes no attempt to hide it. You get the hits — Cakebread, Domaine Carneros, a Matua Sauvignon Blanc that belongs at every chain restaurant in America — all dressed up in a room that's genuinely nicer than the setting suggests. The river views from the patio almost make you forget you're steps from a slot floor.
The list reads like a greatest hits of approachable California names: Cakebread across all three major varietals, Two Creeks Pinot Noir for the crowd that wants something a little lighter, and Domaine Carneros for anyone celebrating. It's a short, safe roster built to move quickly and offend nobody. Don't come here hunting for Burgundy, Barolo, or anything that requires a conversation — there isn't much to discuss. The upside is that what's here is at least reliable; Cakebread Chardonnay is Cakebread Chardonnay, and you know exactly what you're getting.
Glass pours start at $13 for the Matua Sauvignon Blanc, which is the floor of the program and probably its most-ordered pour. We don't have a full count of by-the-glass options, but based on what's visible the selection tracks tightly with the bottle list — a few whites, a red or two, and likely the Domaine Carneros Brut for the celebration crowd. Don't expect much rotation; this is a set-it-and-forget-it kind of glass menu.
Domaine Carneros Brut — null
If you're splitting a bottle before a big ribeye, the Domaine Carneros Brut is the smartest move on this list — it's genuinely good California sparkling wine that holds its own, and bubbles before a steak dinner is never a wrong call. Price unknown, but it typically retails around $25-30, so watch the markup.
Two Creeks Pinot Noir
At a chophouse where everyone's defaulting to Cabs, the Two Creeks Pinot Noir is the quiet option worth a look. Lighter, more food-friendly, and less likely to steamroll whatever you're actually eating — it's the pick if you want red without the full throttle.
Matua Sauvignon Blanc
At $13 a glass, the Matua Sauvignon Blanc is fine — if you're at a casual wine bar in 2016. At a steakhouse charging $40-60 an entrée, it feels like an afterthought, and you can find it at your local grocery store for $12 a bottle. Skip it and spend up.
Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon + Ribeye
Cakebread Cab is a crowd-pleasing Napa Cabernet with enough weight and dark fruit to stand up to a fatty ribeye without requiring any explanation to the table. It's not adventurous, but it works — and sometimes that's enough.
The Bottom Line
Duke's is a reliable casino steakhouse wine list: safe, recognizable, and priced for people who aren't checking the markup. If you're here for the steak and the river view, the Cakebread will do its job — just don't expect the list to surprise you.
Loudonville · Albany · New American Steakhouse
A steakhouse wine page with a long glass list and a Coravin group for bigger names, but no prices online, so judge it by phone or at the table. For a steak, try the Jordan Cabernet or the Caymus from the Sommelier Selections; for something different, the Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling. Confirm what is pouring and the prices before you order, since the page is undated and says selections may vary. This unrated guide covers the posted wine page, not service, storage or markups.
West End · Albany · British Pub
A short pub wine list where every one of the 15 wines has both a glass and a bottle price. Order the $27 Gionelli Pinot Grigio, or the $45 Tarani Malbec for a red; both are also poured by the glass, at $9 and $13. Confirm current availability and prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Delmar · Albany · American
Normanside's posted drink menu is short and glass-friendly, with 23 wines carrying a glass price from $9 to $15. Order The Wine for Pizza with the $16 pepperoni Detroit-style pie, or take the $12 Pessimist by Daou for a darker red. Confirm current availability and prices before you go; this unrated guide covers the posted drink menu, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Albany · Seafood
Jack's is an oyster house first, and its wine lists back that up with French whites by the glass and the bottle. Start with a half dozen oysters and a glass of the Antoine de la Farge Menetou-Salon at 18, or go for the bottle of Reverdy Ducroux Sancerre at 84; for red, the $14 Catena Malbec is the lowest-priced glass. Confirm current lists and prices when you book; this unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown Albany · Albany · Italian
Cafe Capriccio's glass list is short and Italian-led. Try the Scaia Corvina or the Castello di Bossi Chianti before the usual Pinot Grigio, and put the Barolo with the Pork Osso Buco. The posted list shows no prices, so ask what each glass costs and confirm what is open. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
Western Ave · Albany · Mediterranean
Barcelona's bar menu posts more Spanish and Italian range than you might expect, from Rioja Crianza to a $125 Brunello. Try the Albariño at $9 $35 with seafood, or the Juan Gil red blend at $11 $40 if you want something fuller. Most wines show two prices with no unit labels and the page is undated, so confirm which is glass and which is bottle, and today's availability, when you order. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· McLean · American Steakhouse
We don't fully understand how a six-bottle list this good ended up at The Palm Tysons Corner, but here we are. If you're eating here and care about wine at all, this list deserves your attention — especially that Sancerre at $23. It's a small program, but it's a thoughtful one, and in a category full of lazy steakhouse lists, that counts for a lot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· The Woodlands · American Steakhouse
We're working with event-night evidence, not a full house list, so drawing firm conclusions about Del Frisco's Grille's everyday wine program would be dishonest. What we can say is that a six-wine promotional dinner built around one producer family isn't a reason to make this your wine destination. Come for the steakhouse experience — but don't expect the wine list to be the main event.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
· Ashburn · American Steakhouse
Eddie Merlot's is a dependable upscale steakhouse that delivers on the beef side of the equation. The wine program appears to be functional rather than inspired — a crowd-pleasing list built to sell confidently, not to excite. If you're coming for a business dinner or a straightforward date night and want a Napa Cab with your prime-aged ribeye, you'll be just fine. If you want something to talk about on the drive home, you might need to bring your own bottle or do a little pre-visit homework.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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