Lakeside Views, Crowd-Pleasing Pours Done Right
Cedar Lake · Seafood, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 14, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Lighthouse Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Lighthouse arrives looking like someone handed a competent manager a distributor sheet and said 'pick the ones people recognize' — and honestly, they nailed the brief. You get the hits: Caymus, Rombauer, Stag's Leap. It's not adventurous, but it fits the room — windows overlooking Cedar Lake, white tablecloths, couples celebrating anniversaries.
The 100-150 bottle list leans heavily California with enough French and Italian to earn the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence it's held since 2020. Jordan and Stag's Leap represent Napa Cab solidly, Louis Jadot covers the Burgundy bases, and Santa Margherita handles the casual Italian white crowd. Don't come looking for Rhône oddities or anything natural — this list was built to reassure, not surprise. Gaps in South America, Spain, and anything remotely esoteric are wide open, but for a lakeside steakhouse in northwest Indiana, the depth is genuinely respectable.
Twelve to eighteen pours by the glass at $10-$18 is a reasonable spread for this format and region. Meiomi Pinot Noir and Rombauer Chardonnay almost certainly anchor the list, which means the BTG program is reliable if predictable. We'd love to see more rotation, but what's here is clean, recognizable, and priced without gouging.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $35
At the low end of their bottle range, this Washington Riesling is criminally underrated at a seafood-forward spot. Crisp, off-dry, and built for Grilled Salmon — it likely sits near the floor price but drinks well above it.
Louis Jadot Burgundy
Most tables at a steakhouse-adjacent restaurant walk past Burgundy entirely. Don't. Jadot is a reliable négociant with serious village-level juice in the lineup, and it's the most interesting thing on a list dominated by California blockbusters.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
A fine wine that's been marked up to its reputation for thirty years straight. You're paying for the label at this point — there's almost always a better white at this price point, and the Ste. Michelle Riesling next to it will outperform it with the food here.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon + Steak Diane
Steak Diane's pan sauce — brandy, mustard, cream — wants a Cab with structure but not a bruiser. Jordan's restraint and cedar-tinged elegance matches the dish's finesse without steamrolling it. This is the pairing that makes the whole room feel like it was planned.
The Bottom Line
Lighthouse is exactly what it should be: a well-kept, fairly priced wine list in a genuinely beautiful lakeside setting that doesn't pretend to be something it's not. Send your parents here, bring a date, order the Jordan Cab — you won't be disappointed.
Georgetown · Washington · Seafood, Steakhouse
An unpriced list that is easier to read for what it offers than for what it costs. If you want Bordeaux, ask for the 2020 Margaux de Brane Cantenac, or look at the Brunello di Montalcino in Sommelier's Selections, and get the price before you commit. This unrated guide covers the posted Beverage Menu, not service, storage or markups.
Back Bay · Boston · Seafood, Steakhouse
A beverage book that covers a lot more than California: 19 glass pours up front, then Napa, Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Rhône and Piedmont behind them. If you are spending, look at the Kistler Les Noisetiers Chardonnay at $175; if you are not, the Zlatan Otok Plavac Mali is the lowest-priced full bottle at $39. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks list, not service, storage or markups.
Bend · Bend · Seafood, Steakhouse
Brickhouse posts a steakhouse list with a long Washington Cabernet section and 6 oz glass pours from $12. Start with the $12 Green Wing Cabernet by the glass, or step up to the Eyrie Estate Pinot Noir at 85 for a bottle; if you are spending, the Quilceda Creek Cabernets in the Washington section run 425 to 475. Confirm today's availability and prices; this unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
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