Big list, big markups, big steaks
Downtown · Sacramento · Upscale American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Morton's The Steakhouse - Sacramento’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Three hundred-plus bottles staring back at you from a leather-bound list is genuinely impressive — Morton's isn't phoning it in on size. The California-heavy focus makes sense for Capitol Mall power lunches, but you'll notice fast that this list was built to look impressive on an expense report, not to offer deals.
The backbone is California Cabernet and Chardonnay, with heavy hitters like Jordan, Silver Oak, Caymus, and Cakebread all present and accounted for. Argentina gets a solid showing — Catena Zapata's 'Catena Alta' Malbec, the Cocodrilo 'Corte' Red Blend, and Pulenta's 'Gran Corte VII' give the list some Southern Hemisphere depth that most steakhouses skip entirely. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs and Argyle 'Reserve' round out the domestic bubbles corner respectably. The gaps are in the Old World — European bottles feel like an afterthought rather than a deliberate program.
Around 18 pours running $13–$24 gives you reasonable range before you commit to a bottle. Rombauer Chardonnay from Carneros is the crowd-pleaser anchor here — it's always on and always what three tables around you are drinking. The glass list rotates slowly if at all; don't expect anything adventurous.
Rochioli Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley — $79
At roughly 88% over retail, this is the closest thing to a fair deal on the entire list. Rochioli is a legit Russian River producer making precise, textured Sauvignon Blanc — not a grocery store brand dressed up in a steakhouse list. Relative to everything else here, it's practically a steal.
Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, Brut, North Coast
Most tables here are defaulting to Veuve Clicquot at $145 out of habit. Schramsberg is an American sparkling wine institution — méthode traditionnelle, genuinely complex, and far more interesting than the Yellow Label reflex order. Seek it out before anyone else at the table notices.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
At $225 on a bottle you can find for $90 at Total Wine, this is a 150% markup on a wine that's already ubiquitous and, frankly, over-oaked and over-hyped. If you're going to spend $200+ here, there are better bottles. This one is on the list because people recognize the name, which is exactly the trap.
Catena Alta Malbec, Mendoza 2017 + Center-cut prime ribeye
Catena Alta is a serious, structured Malbec with enough dark fruit and backbone to go toe-to-toe with the richness of a prime ribeye. It's one of the few bottles on this list that earns its price through genuine quality rather than brand recognition, and it holds up across the entire length of a 16-ounce cut.
The Bottom Line
Morton's Sacramento is the reliable suit in your closet — well-made, appropriate for the occasion, but you're not going to surprise anyone with it. Drink the Rochioli or the Catena Alta, avoid the Caymus markup trap, and expense it if you can.
· Sacramento · Natural Wine Bar
Ro Sham Beaux is punching well above its weight class for a 13-bottle list — the selection is genuinely surprising, the prices are fair, and it fills a real gap in the Sacramento natural wine scene. Send your adventurous friends; warn the Chardonnay-only crowd.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sacramento · Tapas / Wine Bar
At $9 a glass across the board, the pricing is about the only thing we can confidently praise here. Until Karma Brew tells us what's actually in the bottle, this is a coin flip dressed up as a wine program.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sacramento · Wine bar
Nine Spanish wines, fair prices, and zero apologies — The Nook is a wild card worth taking. If you want a broad international list, look elsewhere; if you want a focused, confident program that actually knows what it's doing, pull up a stool.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sacramento · Italian
Aiona's wine list is doing more than most Italian restaurants would dare — global picks, fair glass prices, and a genuine point of view that rewards curious drinkers. Send a friend here and tell them to ignore the obvious choices.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sacramento · French cafe / wine bar
Franquette is what happens when someone who actually cares about wine opens a small café and refuses to phone in the list. Ten bottles, nine by the glass, all French (almost), fairly priced — send your friends here and tell them to order the Crémant first.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Sacramento · Cocktail Bar / Irish-Influenced Bar with Snacks
The Snug is a cocktail bar first and a wine destination never — but for what it is, the wine list is shockingly well-curated and worth exploring if you're the one at the table who doesn't want a Negroni. Don't come here for a deep wine night; do come here knowing the glass of Gamay you order between cocktails will be better than it has any right to be.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Highway 29 corridor · St. Helena · Upscale American Steakhouse
PRESS is the rare place where a 2,700-bottle list actually delivers — deep, well-stored, and staffed by people who know what they're talking about. The pricing is steep by any honest measure, but if Napa Cabernet is your religion, this is the cathedral.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Mauna Lani Resort · Kailua-Kona · Upscale American Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Mauna Lani does exactly what it promises: a deep, California-forward wine list served in proper glassware at steep resort prices inside a flawless steakhouse setting. You won't discover anything new here, but if you're after a great bottle of Napa Cab with your Prime filet and an ocean breeze somewhere nearby, this list will not let you down.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Appleton · Upscale American Steakhouse
Vince Lombardi's wine list won't win any awards for creativity, but it's competent, well-suited to the menu, and it won't embarrass the kitchen. If you're here for a prime steak and a reliable bottle of Jordan, you'll leave happy — just don't come looking for discovery.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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