Big Cabs, Bigger Steaks, Predictable Glory
Union Square · San Francisco · Steak House · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Morton's, The Steakhouse’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list lands on the table feeling exactly like the room — dark, confident, and expensive. Four hundred-plus selections weighted heavily toward California Cabernet and Italian stalwarts tells you immediately who this list is for: the expense-account diner who already knows what they want. There's nothing surprising here, but there doesn't need to be.
California and Italy dominate every page, and Morton's leans into that without apology. The California side reads like a greatest-hits compilation — Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Opus One, Far Niente, Stag's Leap, Paul Hobbs — all the names your client across the table will recognize and nod at approvingly. Italy holds its own with serious Super Tuscans like Antinori Tignanello and Sassicaia anchoring the list. What's missing is anything outside the comfort zone: no Rhône, no Burgundy depth, no interesting by-the-bottle discoveries for anyone who already owns these wines at home. Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence since 2020 is deserved for sheer breadth and execution, even if the list plays it safe.
The glass program runs roughly 15-25 options, which is respectable for a steakhouse format. Expect the usual suspects — a Cabernet or two, maybe a Merlot, a Chardonnay — all serviceable, none surprising. There's no evidence of active rotation, so what you see is likely what you've been seeing for a while.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $60
Jordan punches well above its price point on a list where bottles can drift into the hundreds fast. It's a crowd-pleaser that actually delivers — Alexander Valley fruit, polished tannins, and enough structure to hold up against a ribeye without asking you to refinance anything.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot
Everyone at the table is ordering Cabernet. Meanwhile, Duckhorn's Napa Merlot sits there being genuinely excellent and mostly ignored. It's plush, structured, and handles a filet better than half the Cabs on this list — and it's probably the most underordered bottle in the room.
Opus One
Opus One is a genuinely great wine, and Morton's is charging you a genuinely great premium for the privilege of ordering it at a restaurant. The markup on trophy bottles like this is where the steakhouse model really shows its teeth. Drink it at home where it costs half as much.
Antinori Tignanello + Prime dry-aged bone-in ribeye
Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend brings enough acidity to cut through the fat on a bone-in ribeye while the Tuscan savory notes play off the dry-aged funk. It's the one moment on this list where things get genuinely interesting — and it makes the steak taste like you planned it.
The Bottom Line
Morton's SF does exactly what it promises: a deep, polished list of California and Italian heavyweights in a room built for closing deals and celebrating milestones. It's not where you go to discover wine — it's where you go to drink reliably well without having to think too hard about it.
Embarcadero · San Francisco · Peruvian Seafood
La Mar is a great dinner — the ceviche alone is worth the trip — but the wine list is along for the ride rather than driving it. Order something crisp and cold, enjoy the view, and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Union Square · San Francisco · American
The Rotunda is a lunch experience first and a wine destination a distant second — the list is safe, the markup is real, and you're largely paying for the address and the atmosphere. Come for the crab salad and the occasion, order something bubbly, and don't go in expecting a serious wine program.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Francisco · San Francisco · Wine bar & bottle shop
Bodega SF is what happens when someone actually gives a damn about the list instead of just checking a box. Twenty-six bottles, almost all pourable by the glass, priced fairly, and built around grapes most wine bars wouldn't dare touch — send your adventurous friends here and tell them to skip the safe picks.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
San Francisco · San Francisco · Wine bar
Fig & Thistle is for people who trust a short menu built by someone with a point of view — thirteen bottles, all pouring, all worth talking about. If you need a fallback Cab or a recognizable label to feel safe, this isn't your spot. If you don't, this absolutely is.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Francisco · San Francisco · Steakhouse
STK San Francisco has the bones of a wine program and the ambition of a hotel minibar. With only three by-the-glass pours, a list built entirely around safe brand names, and steep markups baked into the concept, this is a place to order a cocktail or splurge on a specific bottle you already know you want.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Francisco · Wine Tavern
Big Finish is doing something genuinely different — an all-glass list built around obscure varietals, serious fortified wine, and pricing that doesn't punish curiosity. Send anyone here who wants to drink something they've never tried before and walk away feeling like they learned something.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hartland · Hartland · Steak House
Palmer's is a reliable steakhouse wine list that delivers exactly what its suburban clientele wants — well-known California names, solid execution, and nothing too weird. If you're a wine adventurer, you'll want to temper expectations; if you're celebrating with a ribeye and a Jordan Cab, you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Town Square · Jackson · Steak House
The Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse has a sommelier, a Wine Spectator credential, and a list that knows its audience — which is Jackson tourists who want great steak and great Napa Cab, full stop. Send a friend here if they want a proper California red with a serious piece of beef; just warn them to skip Opus One and let Jordan do the work.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Milwaukee · Milwaukee · Steak House
Ward's House of Prime is exactly what it says it is: a classic Milwaukee steakhouse with a wine list built to match big cuts of beef. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is well-earned, but don't come looking for adventure — come looking for a great California Cab and a slab of prime rib.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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