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 →
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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.
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
Midtown · Sacramento · New American, seasonal farm-to-table
Mulvaney's is doing something genuinely unusual for Sacramento: serious grower Champagne and left-field regional picks in a converted firehouse that doesn't take itself too seriously. If you eat here and order the house red without looking at this list, that's on you.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Sacramento · Seafood
Scott's Seafood is a safe, solid choice for a riverfront dinner where you want to pop some bubbles without thinking too hard — just don't come here expecting the wine list to match the view. Stick to the sparkling section and you'll leave happy.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Sacramento · New American, seasonal Californian
Hook & Ladder isn't a wine destination, but it's doing more than most casual Midtown spots bother to do — a few smart pours at fair prices go a long way. Come for the food and the room, stay for the Crémant.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Sacramento · Southern / Farm-to-Table
The Porch isn't a wine destination, but it's a restaurant where you can order confidently from the wine list without getting burned — and in Midtown Sacramento, that's not nothing. Send your friends here knowing they'll drink well without overpaying.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
El Dorado Hills (Greater Sacramento) · Sacramento · California comfort food / cafe
Selland's El Dorado Hills isn't a destination wine stop, but it's a genuinely solid neighborhood option — a short list curated with more care than the counter-service format would suggest. Send a friend here if they want something decent with dinner; don't send them here if wine is the whole point of the night.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
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
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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