California-Obsessed Steakhouse With a Wednesday Secret
Melbourne · Melbourne · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed May 19, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Ember & Oak, you get the immediate sense that someone here actually cares about wine — there's a sommelier on staff (Jonathan Costanza) and a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence on the wall since 2023. The list leans hard into California, which fits the upscale-casual steakhouse energy of the place. It's not trying to be a wine bar, but it's clearly trying harder than most restaurants on the Space Coast.
The list is a California greatest-hits parade — Caymus, Silver Oak, Duckhorn, Cakebread, Rombauer — the kind of bottles that sell themselves and make people feel safe. That's not a knock, exactly, but it does mean you're not discovering anything new here. The Napa Cab through-line is strong, and there are some Paso Robles and Sonoma options rounding things out. What the list lacks is depth outside California — if you're hunting for Burgundy, Barolo, or even a solid Rhône, you may be disappointed.
We don't have a confirmed glass pour count or rotation, but with a sommelier steering the ship and a Wednesday half-price wine night that implies some intentional program thinking, the BTG situation is likely serviceable. Expect the usual California suspects — a Rombauer Chard, something Napa-adjacent in red — poured properly and at prices that sting a little less mid-week.
Rombauer Vineyards Chardonnay Carneros 2021 — $90
Rombauer is a crowd-pleaser that genuinely delivers — rich, ripe, and crowd-approved. At $90 it's the most accessible bottle on the list for what you're getting, and on a Wednesday it drops to $45, which is a legitimate steal.
Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2020
Most tables at a steakhouse like this reach straight for the Caymus or Silver Oak on autopilot. Austin Hope is the move — bigger and bolder than you'd expect, at $110 versus $195 for the Caymus. Most people walk right past it.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2020
At $195, you're paying a serious premium for a label that's become the Applebee's of cult Napa Cab. It's fine wine. It's also everywhere, and the markup here doesn't justify it when the Austin Hope or even the Silver Oak Alexander Valley gives you more character per dollar.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot Napa Valley 2019 + Pork belly and scallops
The Duckhorn Merlot has enough plush fruit and soft tannins to handle the richness of the pork belly without bulldozing the scallops. It's one of the more versatile reds on this list, and this dish needs exactly that kind of give-and-take.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night — applies to bottles on the wine list. Best night of the week to upgrade your pour without the markup sting.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Ember & Oak is a legitimately good wine destination by Florida steakhouse standards — sommelier on staff, a real WS credential, and Wednesday half-price wine night that makes the steep markups suddenly very interesting. The list won't surprise anyone, but it'll satisfy you, especially if California Cab is your happy place.
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