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 →
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.
· Winston Salem · Modern Mexican
Alma Mexicana is a genuine wild card — a modern Mexican restaurant in Winston-Salem with a wine program that's quietly pointing at Old World Europe instead of the expected California house pour. We need the full list to give you the real numbers, but the instinct here is good enough to warrant ordering something other than a margarita.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Bottle Shop
The Caviste is doing something genuinely weird for Winston-Salem — a curated, Austria-only bottle shop with prices that should embarrass most restaurant wine lists. If you're even slightly curious about Grüner Veltliner or natural-leaning reds, this is a low-risk, high-reward detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Winery Tasting Room / Light Bites
Divine Llama is a fun, farm-genuine detour if you're exploring North Carolina wine country and want something local and unpretentious. Don't come for depth or discovery beyond the estate — come for the story, the setting, and a glass of Traminette you probably wouldn't have ordered anywhere else.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Winston Salem · American Cafe
West End Cafe isn't a wine destination, but it's a perfectly decent place to drink something decent without overpaying for it. Send a friend here if they want wine with dinner and aren't looking to make an event out of it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Market
Little Pep is doing something genuinely uncommon for Winston-Salem: a short, confident, all-by-the-glass natural wine list with real producer cred and fair prices. Send a curious friend here; skip sending someone who wants a Napa Cab.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Small Plates
Manolo's is a genuine surprise for Winston-Salem — a focused, serious wine program that gives you by-the-glass access to bottles most restaurants lock behind full-bottle commitments. The markup is not subtle, but you're paying for curation and access, and if you pick smart, the experience delivers.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Norcross · American Steakhouse
The evidence here points to a wine dinner feature list, not an actual wine program — and even by wine dinner standards, five bottles with no pricing and a mystery sparkling wine isn't inspiring. If you're eating at J. Alexander's Peachtree Corners on a regular Tuesday, we genuinely don't know what's on the wine list, and that's not a great sign. Order a cocktail, ask your server what's actually available, and don't plan your evening around the wine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Rochester · American Steakhouse
CHAR makes it easy to try Finger Lakes wine alongside the steakhouse standards. Our move is Hosmer Cabernet Franc at $16/glass, with Panizzi Vernaccia at $14 for anyone leaning white. Check the per-ounce pricing before ordering a Coravin pour.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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