Texas Pride, Global Depth, Zero Apologies
Plano · Steak House · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 9, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Haywire’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Haywire lands like a confident handshake — big, deliberate, and clearly put together by someone who gives a damn. With 350-500 bottles and a named sommelier (Heidi Ziepprecht) steering the ship, this is not a steakhouse that bolted on a wine list as an afterthought. The Texas-forward identity is loud and proud, but it earns it.
The list pulls off a genuinely rare trick: celebrating Texas wine without getting parochial about it. Becker Vineyards, Pedernales Cellars, and William Chris Vineyards anchor the Lone Star contingent with real credibility, while California heavyweights like Caymus, Silver Oak, Chateau Montelena, and Jordan hold down the familiar end for guests who want what they know. The French section — Louis Jadot for Burgundy, Chateau Lynch-Bages for Bordeaux — is lean but well-chosen, hitting the classics that belong on a serious steakhouse list. The gaps are real (limited old-world depth outside France, sparse Southern Hemisphere), but what's here is curated with intention, not just padded for length.
Twenty to thirty-five by-the-glass options is a genuinely strong number, especially for a steakhouse, and the $12–$25 range suggests some real bottles are getting poured rather than just house-pour filler. We'd expect to see Texas producers and California staples rotating through the glass program — this is the right place to try a William Chris or Pedernales pour before committing to a bottle.
Pedernales Cellars Texas Tempranillo — $50s
Texas Tempranillo is one of the state's most compelling grape success stories, and Pedernales does it better than almost anyone. At steakhouse bottle prices it likely sits in the lower tier of the list, which makes it a relative steal next to the California cult wines parked nearby.
William Chris Vineyards Enchantè
Most tables at a Texas steakhouse default to Cabernet, which means the William Chris bottles sit largely ignored. That's a mistake. William Chris is one of the most serious and consistent producers in the state, and their wines drink well against red meat — give this one a shot before you autopilot to Silver Oak.
Caymus Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is on every steakhouse list in America and it's marked up accordingly. You're paying for the name recognition more than what's in the glass at this point — there are better bottles on this list, including several Texas reds, for the same money or less.
Chateau Lynch-Bages Pauillac + Bone-in Cowboy Ribeye
Lynch-Bages is one of Bordeaux's most meat-friendly bottles — structured, savory, with enough tannic grip to stand up to a bone-in cut with serious fat. It's the pairing that justifies ordering a $100+ bottle without any internal debate.
The Bottom Line
Haywire is the rare Texas steakhouse that treats its wine program as a genuine point of pride rather than a revenue line item — a Best of Award of Excellence since 2020 doesn't happen by accident. The markups sting a little, but the depth, the Texas selections, and a real sommelier on the floor make this one worth the trip.
Granite Park · Plano · European Bistro
Flamant is a genuinely nice place to drink wine in Plano — the setting does a lot of the heavy lifting, and the Iberian-French focus is a smart identity to build around. The list just needs more courage and more transparency to fully match the room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Legacy West · Plano · Wine Bar
Vinotopia earns its wildcard badge by doing something genuinely different in a food hall context — wine sampling with a tech-forward, no-pretense attitude. It's not the place to obsess over a list, but it's a solid detour if you want a glass (or three) while figuring out dinner.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Plano · New American Gastropub
Whiskey Cake Plano's wine list won't earn any awards, but it's fairly priced, decently curated for the format, and has a couple of genuinely interesting picks hiding in plain sight. If you're here for the food, the wine will do its job — and that's a reasonable ask.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Plano · Steakhouse
Steve Fields clearly puts its energy into the kitchen, not the cellar — and at these price points, that imbalance is hard to ignore. Order the Evesham Wood if it's still there, and otherwise come for the steak, not the wine list.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Plano · Plano · Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Fleming's Plano is a chain steakhouse that takes its wine program more seriously than most — 43 by-the-glass options and some genuinely interesting white wine picks earn it a pass. Markup is real and the list won't blow anyone away, but if you know where to look you can drink well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Plano · Plano · Wine Bar & Kitchen
eight | 11 is the kind of wine-forward spot that Plano genuinely needs — real effort, fair deals, and weekly programming that gives you a reason to come back. Send your friends here on a Wednesday and let them figure out the rest.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Hartland · Hartland · Steak House
Palmer's is a reliable steakhouse wine list that delivers exactly what its suburban clientele wants — well-known California names, solid execution, and nothing too weird. If you're a wine adventurer, you'll want to temper expectations; if you're celebrating with a ribeye and a Jordan Cab, you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Town Square · Jackson · Steak House
The Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse has a sommelier, a Wine Spectator credential, and a list that knows its audience — which is Jackson tourists who want great steak and great Napa Cab, full stop. Send a friend here if they want a proper California red with a serious piece of beef; just warn them to skip Opus One and let Jordan do the work.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Milwaukee · Milwaukee · Steak House
Ward's House of Prime is exactly what it says it is: a classic Milwaukee steakhouse with a wine list built to match big cuts of beef. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is well-earned, but don't come looking for adventure — come looking for a great California Cab and a slab of prime rib.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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