California Classics With a Golf Course View
Harbour Town · Hilton Head Island · Steak House
Reviewed April 23, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Links An American Grill’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list at Links and immediately know where you stand: this is a California Cabernet shrine with a golf course backdrop and no apologies about it. The list is curated for the Harbour Town crowd — people who know what Caymus is and order it without blinking. That's not a criticism, exactly, but it does set expectations.
With somewhere between 150 and 250 bottles, the list is respectable in size but narrow in ambition — California dominates from top to bottom, and that's about as far as the exploration goes. The heavy hitters are all here: Jordan, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, Stag's Leap, Duckhorn, and the ever-present Opus One sitting at the top like a trophy on a clubhouse shelf. On the white side, Rombauer, Sonoma-Cutrer, Cakebread, and Far Niente cover the Chardonnay lane with predictable thoroughness. If you're hoping for a Burgundy detour, a Rhône surprise, or anything from the Southern Hemisphere, pack your patience — this list isn't going there.
Twelve to twenty pours by the glass is a solid count for a golf resort steakhouse, and the range runs $10–$18, which is reasonable for the setting. The glass program mirrors the bottle list: expect the usual California suspects poured with confidence. Don't expect a rotating selection that surprises you on your third visit.
Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay — $10–$18 by the glass
Sonoma-Cutrer consistently punches above its price class — it's a well-made, food-friendly Chardonnay that doesn't lean as heavily on the butter-and-oak routine as Rombauer. At the lower end of the glass pour range, it's the smart order before a Prime Rib.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
In a lineup where Caymus and Silver Oak get all the attention, Stag's Leap tends to get overlooked by the table that just defaults to what they know. It's a more structured, nuanced Cab with real Napa pedigree — and it's exactly what you want with a steakhouse menu.
Opus One
Opus One is a legitimately great wine, but at a golf resort restaurant with steep markups, you're paying a significant premium for the label. The experience doesn't change the wine — and there are better ways to spend that delta on this list.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon + Prime Rib
Jordan's Alexander Valley Cab is built for exactly this moment — classic structure, red fruit, just enough tannin to cut through the richness of a proper prime rib without overwhelming it. It's the kind of pairing that makes the golf course view feel earned.
The Bottom Line
Links is a reliable, if unadventurous, wine stop for the Harbour Town crowd — Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence since 2015 is deserved, but this list is playing to a comfortable crowd, not trying to expand anyone's horizons. Come for the view and the Cab; just don't come expecting to discover something new.
· Hilton Head Island · Modern American steak & seafood
WiseGuys isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the list is thoughtful enough that you won't feel abandoned. The port selection alone is worth a nod, and the California reds give steak fans real choices rather than the usual filler. Just know that four glass pours means you're probably going bottles — budget accordingly, because markups appear to lean toward the steep side.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Hilton Head Island · Wine bar & retail
Corks Wine Co. appears to be more of a winemaking kit retailer than a wine bar in the traditional sense, and the list reflects that. If you're on Hilton Head and need an actual glass of wine, keep driving.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Hilton Head Island · Steakhouse
Crane's Tavern won't make any top wine lists, but for Hilton Head, the by-the-glass program is unusually honest and the pricing doesn't insult you. If you're eating steak here, you have solid options — and that Brocard Bourgogne Blanc is a legitimate surprise.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Shelter Cove · Hilton Head Island · Seafood / New American
Sea Salt isn't trying to win a wine list award and it shows, but it's not trying to rip you off on selection either — just on price. If you're already there for the scallops and the view, the wine list will serve you fine; just set your expectations to vacation mode and not discovery mode.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Harbour Town / Sea Pines · Hilton Head Island · Resort / American
The Harbour Town Clubhouse wine list is exactly what it needs to be for its audience — familiar, functional, and unlikely to offend anyone in a golf shirt. Just know going in that you're paying resort prices for resort selections, and calibrate your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South End / Forest Beach · Hilton Head Island · American pub and grill
Reilley's is a reliable beach-town bar that happens to have wine — not a wine destination that happens to serve food. Hit it during happy hour for half-off house pours, order the Rosé with your crab cakes, and keep your expectations calibrated to the vibe.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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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