Corporate Consistency Meets Surprisingly Fair Pricing
Reston · Washington · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 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 →
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Wingman Metrics
You know exactly what you're getting before you even open the leather-bound wine list: Napa Cabs, safe Sonoma Chards, and enough big-name bottles to impress a client dinner. What surprises us is that Morton's corporate overlords seem to have figured out fair pricing—most bottles are at or below typical retail, which is rare for a chain steakhouse.
The 200-300 bottle list plays it safe with California dominance—Napa Valley leads the charge with heavy hitters like Caymus and Don Melchor from Chile for those willing to spend. You'll find the expected Sonoma Coast Chardonnays and Paso Robles Cab from Austin Hope, plus token entries from Oregon's Willamette Valley and Spanish Rioja. This isn't a list for natural wine nerds or Burgundy hunters—it's built for steak-and-Cab traditionalists who want recognizable labels. The house State & Rush program (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet) offers a Morton's-branded safety net for the undecided.
Nine-plus glass pours running $14-$40 for 6oz gives you enough range to avoid commitment. The Crossbarn Sonoma Coast Chardonnay at $16 and Zuccardi Malbec at $14 are priced well below retail, which is borderline shocking. You're getting mostly California crowd-pleasers with a few international ringers, and they rotate just enough to keep regulars from total boredom.
Ruffino Modus Super Tuscan — $15/glass
A $45 retail bottle going for $15 a glass is absurd value—blended Sangiovese and international varieties that can stand up to a ribeye without the Napa price tag
Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon, Puente Alto
Chilean Cab from one of the country's top estates that most diners skip because they're laser-focused on Napa—serious structure and aging potential without the California trophy tax
Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles
Solid wine but overhyped and everywhere—you're paying for the Instagram-famous label when better values sit three lines down on the list
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley + Bone-in Ribeye
The platonic ideal of steakhouse pairing—Caymus' plush, high-alcohol fruit bomb matches the richness and char of a perfectly aged ribeye
The Bottom Line
Morton's won't blow your mind, but it won't gouge you either. The list is predictable in the best way—you know the players, the pricing is shockingly fair for a national chain, and the staff knows how to guide a table through Napa versus Paso without being condescending.
· Washington · Middle Eastern / North African
Maydan's wine list is one of the most geographically coherent and genuinely adventurous in Washington, DC — it matches the kitchen's ambition and then some. If you're willing to let go of the familiar, this is one of the best by-the-glass programs in the city for opening your eyes to what the wine world looks like beyond Europe.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Restaurant
Moon Rabbit's wine list is doing something rare: it's short enough to read in two minutes and interesting enough to talk about for twenty. If you care about well-chosen, adventurous bottles at prices that won't wreck your dinner bill, send your people here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Georgetown · Washington · French
Lutèce earns its Wine Spectator nod with a tightly curated French list that goes deeper than the cozy Georgetown bistro setting might suggest. The pricing skews steep once you move past the Loire and Alsace sections, but if you drink strategically — and let Chris point the way — this is a genuinely rewarding wine experience.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Washington · Washington · Spanish
Xiquet is doing something genuinely rare in D.C. — a tightly edited, Spain-first wine program inside a room that actually earns it. Four sommeliers and a Wood Spectator Award of Excellence since 2023 confirm this isn't an accident; just know you're paying for the setting as much as the bottle.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Washington · Washington · Italian
Via Sophia is doing something genuinely focused in a city full of lists that try to please everyone — an all-Italy program with real depth, fair pricing, and a sommelier who actually cares. Send your friends here, tell them to ignore the Sassicaia, and order the Amarone.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Washington · Washington · Seafood
Truluck's is a dependable, well-run wine program that earns its Wine Spectator nod without doing anything surprising — California loyalists and Napa Cab fans will be perfectly happy here. If you want adventure, bring your own recommendations; if you want reliable execution with your stone crab, this delivers.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
Hal's delivers a competent, Napa-forward bottle list that does exactly what a steakhouse wine program is supposed to do — just without much surprise or value mercy. Send a friend here if they want a reliable big-red experience; warn them to leave the credit card breathing room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Houston · Steakhouse
Perry's is a reliable steakhouse wine list — nothing that'll make you rethink your palate, but enough to drink well with red meat if you know where to look. The fortified and dessert wine section is genuinely worth your attention; the rest is competent but forgettable.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
New York Prime's wine list is exactly what it needs to be for its audience — safe, recognizable, and priced for expense accounts. If you know what you want and don't mind paying for it, you'll be fine; just don't come looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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