California Classics Done Right for Steak Night
Hanes Mall / Strickland Rd · Winston Salem · American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 25, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Firebirds Wood Fired Grill’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Firebirds reads like a greatest hits album of California wine — Jordan, Duckhorn, Sonoma-Cutrer, Meiomi. You know every song, you've heard them all before, and honestly, sometimes that's exactly what you want. It's a polished, approachable list built to match the room: wood-fired steaks, confident service, and zero surprises.
With 100-150 bottles, the list leans hard into California and the Pacific Northwest — Napa, Sonoma, Washington State — with the kind of brand-name reliability that keeps a steakhouse crowd comfortable. Jordan Cabernet from Alexander Valley and Duckhorn Merlot from Napa anchor the reds, while Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay holds down the white side. Don't come here looking for a grower Champagne or an obscure Jura find; this list isn't trying to be that. The regional focus is narrow, and anything outside the California axis is an afterthought.
The by-the-glass program is genuinely generous at 20-30 options — that's a real commitment for a chain steakhouse, and it means you can explore a little without committing to a bottle. Meiomi Pinot Noir shows up here as the crowd-pleasing workhorse, and it earns that spot. The pours are standard restaurant size, nothing revelatory, but the selection gives most tables something they'll be happy with.
Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay — null
Russian River Ranches is a genuinely good, site-specific Chardonnay — not just a label play. In a list this California-centric, this is the bottle that actually justifies what you're spending. Restrained oak, real acidity, and it can handle both the seafood and the lighter steak cuts without getting lost.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
Jordan gets dismissed as a dinner-party brand by the wine nerd crowd, but that's snobbery talking. Alexander Valley Cab at its best is plush, food-friendly, and less aggressively tannic than Napa — exactly what you want against a wood-fired ribeye. Most tables here walk past it for something flashier. Don't.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
Meiomi is everywhere — your grocery store, your local chain, your in-laws' fridge. It's fine, it's sweet, and it's almost certainly marked up well past what it's worth on a restaurant list. If you're going to spend money at Firebirds, spend it on something you can't pick up at Costco on the way home.
Duckhorn Merlot, Napa Valley + Wood-Fired Steak
Duckhorn Merlot is a Napa Valley staple for a reason — it's rich, structured, and generous without being a bruiser. Against a char-kissed wood-fired steak, that dark fruit and soft tannin structure is exactly the right counterweight. Classic move, but classics exist because they work.
The Bottom Line
Firebirds isn't trying to reinvent anything, and the wine list reflects that — it's a dependable, California-forward selection that does its job without embarrassing itself. If you want adventure, look elsewhere; if you want a solid bottle with a good steak in a comfortable room, this gets you there.
Reynolda / North Winston-Salem · Winston Salem · Upscale American
Graylyn Estate is a genuinely beautiful place to have dinner, but the wine list is an afterthought in a room that deserves intention. Order the sea bass, grab the La Crema, and try not to think too hard about what this list could have been.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Clemmons · Winston Salem · New American
Sixty Vines is a solid, reliable wine stop in Winston-Salem — the by-the-glass breadth is real and the staff knows their stuff, but the list reads like a greatest hits album rather than anything adventurous. Come for the volume, stay for the pizza, but don't expect to have your mind changed about wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Winston Salem · Indian
Oh' Calcutta's wine list is unremarkable on its own — but Tuesday nights flip the script entirely, and a $19 Pinot Noir with lamb vindaloo is a genuinely good time. Come for the food, plan around Tuesday, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Winston Salem · American
Cin Cin isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but Wednesday half-price wine all day on bottles and glasses turns a generic list into a genuinely good deal with a burger in hand. Show up any other night of the week and order a beer.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Brookstown · Winston Salem · Italian
Quanto Basta punches above its weight for a mid-size Southern city Italian spot — the Italian-focused list is thoughtful, the prices are fair, and Thursday half-price bottles make it one of the best weekly wine deals in Winston-Salem. Come hungry, come on a Thursday, and order the Falanghina.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Silas Creek Pkwy · Winston Salem · Japanese / Sushi
Umi is a fun hibachi night out, and the wine pricing is honestly fairer than it has any right to be — but the list itself is an afterthought, and no amount of fair markup fixes a selection that's two bottles deep in personality. Order sake, or a cocktail, and come back to us when they add a Grüner Veltliner.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Worth · American Steakhouse
Del Frisco's Grille Fort Worth has a wine list the same way an airport newsstand has a wine section — technically true, practically limiting. Order the Tokaji for dessert, drink cocktails with dinner, and don't expect anyone to help you navigate the difference.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Carson · Carson City · American Steakhouse
Glen Eagles is a comfortable, classic Carson City steakhouse with a wine list that's essentially coasting — one strong Port section surrounded by a whole lot of nothing. Come for the prime rib, order a Port after, and don't expect much more from the wine side of the menu.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Marcos · San Marcos · American Steakhouse
Outback San Marcos won't embarrass you if you order a glass with dinner, but you're not here for the wine list and nobody pretends otherwise. Stick to the Riesling or the Malbec and spend your energy on the steak.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
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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