Fort Wayne's safe bet for a steak and Cab
Northwest (Jefferson Pointe / Illinois Rd corridor) · Fort Wayne · Upscale American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 26, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Eddie Merlot's Prime Aged Beef & Seafood’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walk into Eddie Merlot's and the wine list announces itself before you even sit down — this place takes wine seriously, or at least takes the appearance of taking wine seriously seriously. The list is long, the stems are right, and a sommelier is actually on staff, which is more than most steakhouses in Indiana can say. The vibe is special-occasion polished, and the list is dressed to match.
The list leans hard into California — Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak, Duckhorn, Rombauer — a Mount Rushmore of crowd-pleasing, recognizable labels that will make your table happy but won't surprise anyone who's been to a steakhouse in the last decade. There's a reserve section for big spenders, and the chain advertises a broad international selection, but the heart of this list is domestic and recognizable. If you came hoping for a grower Champagne or a Barolo hiding in the back pages, you might be disappointed. What's here is executed well, sourced correctly, and stored properly — it's just not an adventure.
Seventy-five wines by the glass is a headline number, and credit where it's due — that's a serious commitment to glass pours for a Fort Wayne steakhouse. The practical reality is that most of those options cluster around the same California Cab and Chardonnay archetypes you'd expect, but the sheer volume means you can find something that works at multiple price points. Rotation and freshness are the real question marks with a list that wide; ask your server which bottles have been recently opened.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley) — null
Jordan is consistently one of the more fairly priced Napa-adjacent Cabs on steakhouse lists — it's structured enough to stand up to a ribeye without carrying the Silver Oak surcharge. If the markup here is in line with chain-wide norms, Jordan is the move before you climb to the reserve tier.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot (Napa Valley)
Everyone at the table is reaching for the Cab, which means the Duckhorn Merlot gets ignored. That's a mistake. Duckhorn is the reason Merlot deserved better than what Sideways did to it — rich, structured, and genuinely great with a filet. Order it and watch your tablemates reconsider their choices.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
Caymus is fine. It's also on every steakhouse list in America at a markup that reflects the brand name more than what's in the bottle. You're paying for the recognizability. The Jordan or Duckhorn next to it will drink just as well and leave more money on the table for dessert.
Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley) + Bone-in Ribeye
Silver Oak's Alexander Valley Cab is built for exactly this moment — the fat of a bone-in ribeye needs a wine with enough tannin and acid to cut through it, and Silver Oak delivers that with enough fruit to keep things festive. It's a splurge, but if you're already ordering the ribeye, you're already in splurge territory.
The Bottom Line
Eddie Merlot's Fort Wayne is a reliably well-run steakhouse wine program — proper storage, real glassware, a sommelier on the floor, and enough pours by the glass to satisfy a full table. The list won't challenge you, and the markups will sting, but if you want a classic California Cab with your prime beef and you want it done right, this place delivers.
· Fort Wayne · Italian
Biaggi's Fort Wayne is a safe harbor for anyone who wants a glass of California Cab with their chicken parmesan and doesn't want any surprises. If you dig past the obvious picks, there's a short but legitimate Italian selection worth your attention — but the list as a whole isn't why you're coming here.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Wayne · Irish Pub
J.K. O'Donnell's is a beer bar first and a wine list second, but the pricing is so reasonable and the selection so inoffensive that ordering a bottle doesn't feel like a mistake. Come for the pint, stay for the surprisingly affordable Malbec.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Wayne · Modern American
Charlie's Place is doing something genuinely uncommon: running a smart, adventurous wine program in a mid-sized Midwest city without hedging everything toward crowd-pleasing safety. We'd send a friend here specifically for wine, which is not something we say often about Fort Wayne.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Wayne · New American
Copper Spoon proves you don't need a 200-bottle binder to run a thoughtful wine program — you just need to care about what you put on the list. For Fort Wayne, this is genuinely one of the better places to order a bottle without second-guessing yourself.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Wayne · Steakhouse / Supper Club
Club Soda is a reliable steakhouse wine list that knows its audience: Cab-drinking Fort Wayne locals who want the Caymus and don't need to think too hard. If you dig a little deeper, the Châteauneuf and the Amarone reward the curious — but nobody's coming here for the wine program alone.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Wayne · Latin / New American
Proximo isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the list is priced fairly, the picks are coherent, and the Torrontés alone is worth a detour. Send a friend here with confidence — just steer them away from the Black Stallion.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Highway 29 corridor · St. Helena · Upscale American Steakhouse
PRESS is the rare place where a 2,700-bottle list actually delivers — deep, well-stored, and staffed by people who know what they're talking about. The pricing is steep by any honest measure, but if Napa Cabernet is your religion, this is the cathedral.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Mauna Lani Resort · Kailua-Kona · Upscale American Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Mauna Lani does exactly what it promises: a deep, California-forward wine list served in proper glassware at steep resort prices inside a flawless steakhouse setting. You won't discover anything new here, but if you're after a great bottle of Napa Cab with your Prime filet and an ocean breeze somewhere nearby, this list will not let you down.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Appleton · Upscale American Steakhouse
Vince Lombardi's wine list won't win any awards for creativity, but it's competent, well-suited to the menu, and it won't embarrass the kitchen. If you're here for a prime steak and a reliable bottle of Jordan, you'll leave happy — just don't come looking for discovery.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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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