Big list, big markups, big steaks
Downtown · Sacramento · Upscale American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 22, 2026 · How we review
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
Seaport · Boston · Upscale American Steakhouse
Eddie Merlot's is a reliable date-night or business-dinner destination in the Seaport, and the wine program is functional enough to get the job done — but markup at this category of steakhouse tends to run steep, and the list probably isn't going to surprise you. If you're here for the Prime ribeye, order a glass of whatever Cab is open and don't overthink it; if you're here specifically to drink well, we'd want to see the actual list before making promises.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Columbus · Upscale American Steakhouse
Eddie Merlot's Columbus is a reliable steakhouse wine experience — well-managed, California-forward, and backed by actual staff expertise. Just know that you're paying steakhouse markups in a steakhouse setting, and the list isn't going to take you anywhere unexpected. If you want a great bottle with a great steak and don't need the wine to steal the show, this works.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Fort Point · Boston · Upscale American Steakhouse
Set your wine budget before opening the list. Greenwing Cabernet at $18 a glass or $72 a bottle is a straightforward red option. This is an unrated menu guide; it does not assess service, storage or glassware.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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