California Cab Country, Hold the Surprises
Greater Lansing · Lansing · Steakhouse
Reviewed July 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The Morton's wine list arrives looking like a greatest hits album of American fine dining — Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak, Rombauer front and center. It's polished, it's predictable, and it makes absolutely no apologies for either. You know exactly what you're walking into before you even sit down.
The 200-plus label list leans hard into California, with Napa Cabernet and Chardonnay doing most of the heavy lifting — think Duckhorn Merlot, Cakebread Chardonnay, and The Prisoner Red Blend as the safe, reliable anchors. There's a France section covering Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne, plus nods to Washington and Oregon, but these feel more like diplomatic gestures than genuine depth. If you're hunting for a grower Champagne, a funky Rhône, or anything that didn't get a 90+ from a major publication in 2018, you're in the wrong place. This is a list built for the expense-account crowd, not the curious drinker.
The by-the-glass program runs 10 to 15 options in the $12–$24 range, covering the expected bases: a Chardonnay, a Cab, maybe a Merlot. Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay and Veuve Clicquot Brut show up as reliable anchors. Rotation is essentially nonexistent — this is a chain program, and what's on the menu this month was likely on it six months ago.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley — $90
In a sea of four-times-retail Napa Cabs, Jordan Alexander Valley is the relative bargain — it's consistently well-made, approachable at the table, and won't make your eyes water the way Silver Oak pricing will.
Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay Russian River Ranches
Everyone reaches for Rombauer on instinct, but Sonoma-Cutrer's Russian River Ranches Chard is the quieter, more food-friendly option — less oak-bomb, more actual wine. It tends to sit overlooked on a list full of louder names.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
The markup on Caymus at a steakhouse chain is a reliable gut-punch. It's everywhere, it's not getting any more interesting, and you're paying a significant premium to drink something you could have grabbed at a Total Wine on the way over.
Duckhorn Merlot Napa Valley + Center-Cut Filet Mignon
The filet is lean and clean, and Duckhorn Merlot's plush fruit and soft tannins don't bully it the way a big Napa Cab would. It's the move when you want the steak to stay the star.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Morton's Lansing is a safe, well-executed steakhouse wine list that will satisfy a client dinner without anyone raising an eyebrow — or an eyebrow in excitement. Send a friend here if they want familiar names done properly; send them somewhere else if they want to actually discover something.
Old Town Lansing · Lansing · Gastropub
Zoobie's isn't where you go to geek out on wine, but if you're meeting friends for dinner in Old Town and someone at the table insists on a glass, you won't be stuck with regret. Grab the Malbec or the Mawby rosé, let everyone else argue about the beer list.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Okemos · Lansing · Seafood and American
Real Seafood Company Okemos is a dependable neighborhood anchor where the wine list won't embarrass you or excite you — fair prices and familiar faces make it easy, just don't come expecting discovery. Order the La Marca with the oysters and leave the wine nerd hat at home.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Lansing · Lansing · Casual American / Tex-Mex
Chili's is a perfectly good place to eat a burger and drink a margarita — we mean that sincerely. But if wine is your thing, this list will let you down every single time, and you deserve better than a $8 Barefoot pour.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Lansing · Lansing · Steakhouse / Roadhouse
Logan's Roadhouse in Lansing is here for the steaks and the bucket of peanuts, not the wine. Order a cocktail or a beer, and save your wine ambitions for a restaurant that's saving some for you.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Lansing · Lansing · Steakhouse / Grill
Black Rock is here for the sizzling steak theater, and the wine list is clearly an afterthought that nobody's bothered to revisit. Order a cocktail, spring for the Chateau Ste. Michelle if you need wine, and save your serious bottle budget for somewhere that earned it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Lansing · Lansing · American hotel bistro
This is a wine list for people who aren't really thinking about wine — and that's fine for a hotel lobby bar, but it means you shouldn't be thinking about it either. Order a cocktail, or grab a bottle from a nearby shop and pay the corkage.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Peoria · Peoria · Steakhouse
LongHorn Peoria is a fine place to eat a steak; it is not a fine place to drink wine. Order a cocktail or a beer, enjoy your ribeye, and save the wine night for somewhere that actually cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Peoria · Peoria · Steakhouse
Jim's isn't trying to win a wine award, and it doesn't need to — the list is honest, fairly priced by steakhouse standards, and built to serve the room. If you're in Peoria and want a proper steak with a decent bottle, this is where you go.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
TX-191 Corridor · Odessa · Steakhouse
Red Oak Steakhouse is punching well above its weight class for Odessa — the list is small but curated with real intent, and the by-the-glass pricing keeps it accessible. Send a wine-curious friend here; they'll be pleasantly thrown off.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.