Texas Bold Meets Bordeaux, No Apologies
Dallas · Steak House · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed April 9, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Haywire’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Haywire arrives with the confidence of a steakhouse that knows exactly who it is — big Cabs, serious Bordeaux, and a Texas section that isn't just there for the locals. Sommelier Turner McLeod has clearly put real thought into this, and the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence since 2022 isn't a vanity plaque here. This is a list that means business.
The 250-350 bottle list leans hard into California and France, which is exactly what you want when there's a dry-aged ribeye in front of you. You'll find the crowd-pleasers — Caymus, Silver Oak, Opus One — but the list earns its keep with deeper cuts like Shafer Hillside Select, Paul Hobbs, and Screaming Eagle in the library section for those ready to spend. The French side holds its own with Chateau Margaux and Chateau Lynch-Bages anchoring a respectable Bordeaux program, while Italy checks in via Sassicaia and Antinori Tignanello. The real surprise is the Texas section: Becker Vineyards and Pedernales Cellars signal that McLeod is paying attention to what's happening in the Hill Country, not just importing prestige.
With 20-35 options by the glass, Haywire is doing more than the standard steakhouse pour-three-Cabs routine. The range suggests you can move from an aperitif white through to a serious red without committing to a full bottle, which is a genuine service to the solo diner or the table that can't agree. We'd love to see more rotation and a formal glass program spotlight, but what's here is well above average for the format.
Becker Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon — $50
Texas Cabernet at a steakhouse in Dallas is a no-brainer narrative, and Becker delivers a genuinely food-friendly bottle that likely sits at the lower end of the price range. Supporting a Hill Country producer in this context feels right, and it drinks well above its station.
Pedernales Cellars
Most tables at a place like Haywire are going straight for California or France, which means the Pedernales Cellars selection gets passed over constantly. That's a mistake. Texas wine has earned its place on serious lists, and McLeod wouldn't have included it otherwise — trust the sommelier on this one.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Look, Caymus is fine. But it's also on every steakhouse list in America, it's marked up heavily everywhere, and you can drink it at home any night of the week. You're at a restaurant with Shafer Hillside Select and Screaming Eagle on the library list — use this menu for something you actually can't get at your corner wine shop.
Antinori Tignanello + Dry-aged ribeye
Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend brings enough acidity to cut through the fat on a dry-aged ribeye while the Cabernet backbone holds up to that deep, funky beef character. It's a slightly unexpected move on a Texas steakhouse menu, which is exactly why it works.
The Bottom Line
Haywire is the real deal — a Texas steakhouse that respects wine enough to hire a proper sommelier, stock a library, and champion local producers without making it a gimmick. The markup is the only reason it doesn't lap the field entirely, but for a big night out in Dallas, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better wine experience attached to a steak.
· Dallas · Spanish/Latin
Rosa Negra is clearly built around tequila and tapas, and the wine list confirms that wine is an afterthought at best. If you need a glass of something with dinner and price is the only criterion, $7 works — but don't come here expecting anything beyond the most basic pour. Order the cocktails and let the wine list do what it does: exist quietly in the background.
Grocery Store
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Dallas · Steakhouse
Perry's is a reliable steakhouse wine program — fair pricing, a broad glass selection, and enough variety to keep most tables happy without any real effort on your part. If you want adventure or discovery, look elsewhere; if you want a competent, frictionless list that won't embarrass you on a work dinner, Perry's delivers exactly that.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Dallas · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão Dallas brings a reliable, if uninspired, wine list that leans on brand recognition over discovery — the Bodega Garzón Albariño and Zuccardi Malbec are the standouts in a sea of familiar faces. If you're here for the meat, the wine list will keep you covered; just watch the markup on the glass pours, which can quietly run up a tab. We'd send a friend here for the experience, not specifically for the wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Dallas · Dallas · Steakhouse
STK Dallas is a place to be seen, not a place to drink well — the wine list is a predictable lineup of brand names with almost no by-the-glass program to speak of. Order a cocktail, or commit to a bottle and go straight for the Twomey.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Dallas · Steakhouse
Y.O. Ranch's wine list does the job without doing much else — it's a safe, brand-heavy selection that keeps the room happy but won't make any wine drinker's night. Come for the beef, order the Malbec or the Il Poggione, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Dallas · Steakhouse
Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse takes its wine as seriously as its beef, which is rarer than it should be. The Cabernet runs deep, the global bench is real, the Coravin program lets you drink up, the markups are fair for the tier, and the Texas section gives the whole thing a personality. Skip the trophy-label tax, lean on the Rioja, the Pinot, and the homegrown Texas pours, and you'll eat and drink like the buyer clearly intends.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Washington · Washington · Steak House
A 20-wine by-the-glass list with every pour between $14 and $30, split across four sparkling, six white, two rosé and eight red. With a steak, start with the $26 Clos Duval Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or the $22 Monte Antico Supremus; for the cheapest glass, take the $14 Dr. Loosen Riesling. Pour sizes aren't posted and the page is undated, so confirm today's wines. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Chicago Loop · Chicago · Steak House
A Napa-leaning Cabernet list with a Library & Reserve section that reaches 3,098 and glass pours from $13.99 to $49.99. Start with the $15.99 Broadbent Cabernet by the glass, or the $41.99 Stag's Leap Artemis if the ribeye is on the table, and confirm current availability since the list does not guarantee vintages. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Union Square · San Francisco · Steak House
A glass list that does the steakhouse job: 36 pours, a tidy Napa Cabernet set and prices from $13. Order the $15 Beringer Cabernet with your steak, or the $14 Guado Al Tasso Vermentino if you are starting with seafood, and confirm availability since the page is undated and Morton's says pricing may vary. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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