Little Alley Steak

You walk into a converted Canton Street antique shop and find Screaming Eagle on the list at $2,250 and a 100-point Cardinale anchoring the top shelf. Little Alley is Roswell's big-swinging steakhouse and the wine program has the range to match — from a $36 Catena Malbec to genuine Napa trophy bottles. Forbes put it in the Top 100 steakhouses in America and the cellar is a big reason why.

The list leans heavily New World and red, exactly what you want from a serious steakhouse. California dominates with the 2006 Cardinale — a Robert Parker 100-point Napa Bordeaux blend — serving as the flagship bottle. Malbec from Argentina provides the value floor and big Napa Cabs fill the middle and upper tiers. What separates Little Alley from the suburban steakhouse pack is the breadth of the range and the fact that every bottle on the list carries critic scores from Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, or Wine Enthusiast right on the menu. That is a program that respects both the casual browser and the serious collector.

Multiple pours by the glass span a meaningful range with a clear red-wine emphasis that mirrors the steak-forward menu. The by-the-glass selections rotate and the staff is consistently praised for steering guests toward smart pours. When your server can talk Cardinale vintages and guide you to a value Malbec in the same breath, you know the training is real.