Steak-Friendly Pours Without the Sticker Shock
Lexington · Lexington · American Steakhouse
Reviewed March 28, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Malone's reads like a greatest hits album from the mid-2000s — Cakebread, Meiomi, Oyster Bay, Moët. You know every name on this list, which is either comforting or a little predictable depending on your mood. What surprises you is how reasonable the prices are for a sit-down steakhouse in Lexington.
The list pulls from California (heavily), with Napa and Sonoma doing most of the work on the red side. There's an international nod to New Zealand, Italy, France, and Germany, though none of those regions get much depth — it's one or two reps at most. Don't come looking for Burgundy, Barolo, or anything that requires a backstory. This is a list built for the table that wants a familiar bottle with a prime rib without having to think too hard, and it does exactly that job.
Eighteen by-the-glass options is a solid count for a steakhouse, spanning from budget-friendly Canyon Road at $8 to more respectable pours like Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay at $16. The range runs white, red, rosé, and sparkling, which covers the table well. Rotation appears minimal — this feels like a set list that doesn't change much season to season.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay — $12/glass
At $12 a glass for KJ Chard, you're paying just a hair above retail-by-the-glass math. It's a known crowd-pleaser, well-made, and undercuts what most comparable steakhouses would charge by $4-6 easily.
The Seeker Riesling
Nobody orders Riesling at a steakhouse, which is exactly why you should. At $9 a glass, this Mosel pour cuts through a rich prime rib with its natural acidity in a way that Chardonnay simply can't. It's the most interesting white on the list and almost nobody touches it.
Murphy-Goode Pinot Noir
At $9 a glass it doesn't sound bad until you realize retail is around $18 — that's roughly a 50% markup on a wine that punches well below the weight of what a steakhouse red should be. For a couple bucks more, Meiomi Pinot Noir is a meaningfully better glass.
Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay + Prime Rib
The Sonoma-Cutrer brings enough oak and body to hold up to the richness of prime rib without getting steamrolled. It's a counter-intuitive move — most people reach for a Cab — but the creamy texture and stone fruit work well against that fatty, slow-roasted cut.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Malone's Classic won't win any points for adventurousness, but the pricing is genuinely fair and the glass count is high enough to keep a table happy. If you're in Lexington for a steak and don't want to gamble on the wine, this is a safe and honest bet.
South Lexington / Harrodsburg Road · Lexington · Italian, Contemporary Italian, Seafood
Giuseppe's isn't a wine destination, but Monday night half-price bottles make it one of the better value plays in Lexington — show up then, lean on the seafood, and you'll leave happy. Any other night, the markups ask a lot and the list doesn't ask you to think very hard.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Lansdowne / Nicholasville Road · Lexington · Italian-American
Sutton's isn't a wine destination, but it's a perfectly reasonable place to drink a bottle of Chianti while someone else handles the cooking. The Tignanello alone earns this list a second look if you know to ask for it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Gratz Park · Lexington · New American / Southern
Jonathan at Gratz Park is the kind of reliable wine room you'd expect from a historic inn with a real sommelier — competent, well-stocked, and leaning safe. Pricing is on the steeper side and the list won't surprise you, but in Lexington, this is still one of the better places to order a full bottle with dinner.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Palomar / Harrodsburg Road · Lexington · Italian, Seasonal American-Influenced
Bella Notte isn't a wine destination, but it's a reliable neighborhood spot with one genuinely smart move: Thursday half-price bottles turn a steep list into a real value play. Go on a Thursday, order the Decoy Cab with a wood-grilled steak, and you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Lexington · Italian
ItalX is a dependable Italian wine list for a night out downtown — not exciting, but not embarrassing either. Send a friend here knowing they'll drink well enough, as long as they steer toward the Italian reds and away from the obvious tourist traps.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Summit at Fritz Farm · Lexington · New American / Southern
33 Staves is a perfectly competent hotel wine list in a city where nobody's really coming for the wine. Drink it for what it is, keep your expectations calibrated, and save the serious bottle hunting for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Murfreesboro · Murfreesboro · American Steakhouse
The Chop House Murfreesboro does exactly what it's designed to do: give you a decent glass of California red with your steak at a familiar price point. If you're looking for a wine revelation, you're in the wrong place — but if you just want a solid night out with a reliable pour, it delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Oyster Point / Jefferson Avenue · Newport News · American Steakhouse
LongHorn Newport News isn't a wine destination — it's a steakhouse where wine is an afterthought, priced to extract margin rather than reward curiosity. Order the ribeye, pick the least-bad bottle, and don't expect anyone at the table to talk about what's in the glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hanes Mall / Strickland Rd · Winston Salem · American Steakhouse
Firebirds isn't trying to reinvent anything, and the wine list reflects that — it's a dependable, California-forward selection that does its job without embarrassing itself. If you want adventure, look elsewhere; if you want a solid bottle with a good steak in a comfortable room, this gets you there.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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