Steakhouse Staples Done Honest in La Crosse
· La Crosse · Steakhouse / American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 15, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Freight House Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The Freight House wine list reads like a greatest hits album of recognizable labels — Kim Crawford, Silver Oak, Belle Glos, Meiomi. There's nothing here that's going to make a wine nerd's jaw drop, but there's also nothing that's going to embarrass anyone at the table. For a steakhouse in La Crosse, Wisconsin, that's a reasonable deal.
Seventy-nine labels sounds like a lot until you notice how heavily the list leans on California Cabernet and a handful of crowd-approved names. The bottle selection does show some range — Zuccardi Malbec from Argentina earns its spot, and the Sequoia Grove and Silver Oak Cabs give big-occasion spenders somewhere to land. The white side is thin: Washington Hills Riesling and Prisoner's Unshackled Chardonnay do most of the heavy lifting, and the Leibfraumilch lurking in the house wine section is a relic from another era. Old World representation is essentially nonexistent, which is the list's biggest gap.
Eighteen by-the-glass options cover the basics without much adventure — the house pours start at $7.50 and the nameless varietal labels (Merlot, Cab, Pinot Grigio) suggest bulk wine territory. The Ruffino Prosecco at $8 a glass is a reasonable bubble option for what you're getting. Overall, the BTG program is functional but uninspired — you're not getting anything here you couldn't find on a Friday night at a mid-tier chain.
Zuccardi Malbec — $38
Zuccardi is a serious Mendoza producer that most restaurant lists in this price range don't bother with. At $38, this is genuinely good juice at a fair multiple — the kind of bottle that overdelivers relative to its neighbors on the list.
Washington Hills Riesling
Everyone's ordering the Kim Crawford or Meiomi, which means the Washington Hills Riesling sits quietly on the list doing nobody any favors. Order it anyway — a cold Riesling next to a steak is an underrated call, and at $32 it's one of the better value plays on whites.
Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon
At $120 on a restaurant list, Silver Oak is a trophy pour for people who know the name but not the math. You're paying a steep premium for a bottle that retails around $75 — that markup hurts. The Sequoia Grove Cab at $70 gets you into solid Napa Cab territory without the Silver Oak tax.
Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir + Filet Mignon
Belle Glos is rich and fruit-forward enough to hold up to beef but won't steamroll a filet the way a big Cab can. It's the move for anyone who wants red wine with their steak but finds the Cabernet options too heavy.
The Bottom Line
Freight House is a dependable steakhouse wine list — fair prices, familiar names, no nasty surprises. If you're looking for discovery, look elsewhere; if you're looking for a solid bottle to go with a good cut of meat in La Crosse, you'll leave satisfied.
· La Crosse · Hotel Restaurant / American
This is a wine list that exists because the hotel felt obligated to have one, not because anyone thought carefully about it. Order a beer or a cocktail and move on.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· La Crosse · Steakhouse / Smokehouse
Piggy's isn't trying to be a wine destination, and that's fine — but for a smokehouse in La Crosse, the list is fair, the pricing doesn't embarrass itself, and there are a couple of genuinely solid bottles if you know where to look. Order the Seghesio, eat the ribs, and leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · La Crosse · French-Influenced New American
For a hotel restaurant in La Crosse, The Charmant's wine list is a genuine surprise — thoughtfully assembled, fairly priced, and hiding at least two or three bottles that serious wine drinkers would seek out anywhere. Send a friend here and tell them to order the Radikon.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Onalaska · La Crosse · American / Supper-Club Style
Blue Moon is a dependable neighborhood spot that takes its wine list seriously enough to give you real options without overcomplicating things. Send a friend here if they want a lake view, a fair pour of Chianti, and no stress — just don't send them expecting adventure.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· La Crosse · Italian / New American
SAGRA is doing something genuinely surprising for its geography: a tight, intentional natural wine list at fair prices in a mid-sized Wisconsin city. If you're passing through La Crosse and care about what's in your glass, this is not a place to walk past.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· La Crosse · Upscale American
Pogreba's wine list is a well-intentioned, Napa-centric lineup that serves its room without taking many risks — and in La Crosse, Wisconsin, that's probably the right call. Send a friend here if they want a reliable bottle at a fair price; tell the adventurous drinker to order the Riesling and stop overthinking it.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Casper · Steakhouse / American
Wyoming's Rib & Chop House isn't trying to win any wine awards, and it doesn't need to — the list does exactly what it's supposed to do for a steakhouse in Casper. Grab the Gascon, order your cut medium-rare, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Casper · Steakhouse / American
FireRock isn't trying to win any wine awards, and that's fine — it's a steakhouse in Casper doing exactly what it needs to do. The list is familiar, the markups are fair, and with 20 by-the-glass options, you're not going to go thirsty. Send a friend who wants a solid steak and a recognizable red without any fuss.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Spalding Hall · Bardstown · Steakhouse / American
The Rickhouse is a perfectly competent steakhouse wine list doing exactly what a steakhouse wine list in bourbon country is supposed to do — familiar names, heavy pours, and enough bottles to keep the table happy. Just go in knowing you're paying for the atmosphere and the ambiance of that historic cellar as much as what's in the glass.
Crowd Pleasers
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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