McCormick & Schmick's Seafood - Indianapolis
Dependable chain wine, done well enough
Downtown · Indianapolis · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 22, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at McCormick & Schmick's Indianapolis reads exactly like what it is: a polished national chain that did its homework on crowd-pleasing seafood pairings. Nothing surprises you, but nothing offends you either. It's the wine equivalent of a clean, pressed oxford shirt — reliable, safe, easy.
Selection Deep Dive
The 80-120 bottle list leans hard into California and the Pacific Northwest, which makes sense given the seafood focus — these regions produce the crisp whites and light reds that actually work next to oysters and crab cakes. You'll find familiar names like Sonoma-Cutrer, Kim Crawford, and Meiomi doing most of the heavy lifting. Don't come looking for Burgundy, Chablis, or anything that requires a story — this list is built for recognition, not discovery. The range is serviceable but the depth stops short; once you get past the obvious picks, the bench gets thin.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty glass pours is a strong count for a chain, and the $10–$20 range keeps things accessible for a downtown dinner crowd. The happy hour pricing structure (several pours drop to the $7–$9 range) makes this one of the better glass-pour values in the neighborhood. Rotation appears limited — this feels like a set-and-forget program rather than something that gets freshened up seasonally.
Mark West Pinot Noir — $9
At $9 a glass with a retail of around $12, the markup is the lightest on the list — a 33% bump that's practically generous by restaurant standards. Light enough to work with salmon or halibut, familiar enough that it won't confuse anyone at the table.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
Most people walk right past Riesling on a seafood list, which is a mistake. Washington State Riesling with oysters on the half shell is a legitimate move — the acidity cuts through brine beautifully, and at $7 a glass during happy hour, you're barely paying for the liquid.
Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon
At $7 a glass it sounds cheap, but the retail on this bottle is around $20 — that's a 186% markup, the steepest on the list. It's also Cabernet Sauvignon at a seafood restaurant, which means you're paying the most for the wine that makes the least sense with the menu.
Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay + Crab Cakes
Russian River Chardonnay has the weight and subtle oak to stand up to the richness of crab cakes without bulldozing the seafood flavor. It's a classic restaurant match and one of the better bottles on the list — this is the combination worth ordering.
✔️ The Bottom Line
McCormick & Schmick's isn't where you go to discover your next favorite producer, but for a downtown Indianapolis seafood dinner the wine list does its job competently and the happy hour glass prices are genuinely fair. Send a friend here if they want something good without having to think too hard.
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