Casino steakhouse that actually takes wine seriously
Glendale · American, Steakhouse
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Nineteen 86 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
Tucked inside Desert Diamond Casino, Nineteen 86 earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence by doing the basics right in a setting where most restaurants don't bother. The marble-and-wood room signals that someone here is taking this seriously — at least more seriously than the slot machines outside. The list skews hard California, which makes sense given the steakhouse context, but don't expect any surprises.
The 80-to-120-bottle list reads like a greatest hits of California Cabernet — Caymus, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Jordan, and Beringer Private Reserve are all present and accounted for. It's a crowd-pleasing lineup that will make exactly zero wine geeks excited, but it will make the guy ordering a ribeye very happy. Duckhorn Merlot and Rombauer and Cakebread Chardonnays cover the white and non-Cab bases adequately. The gap here is anything outside California — there's no Burgundy anchor, no Rhône, no Italian to speak of, and that limits what this list can really be.
Ten to sixteen by-the-glass options at $10–$18 is a reasonable spread for a steakhouse at this price point. We'd expect the pours to track closely with the bottle list — meaning you're mostly navigating Cabs and Chardonnays. The selection gets the job done for a pre-dinner glass while you settle into one of those oversized booths.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $35 glass / bottle pricing TBD
Jordan is consistently one of California's most food-friendly Cabs — structured enough for red meat but not a fruit bomb. In a list where markup runs steep, Jordan tends to offer more drinking pleasure per dollar than the more famous names on the list.
Duckhorn Merlot
Everyone at the table is ordering Cabernet, and that's fine — but the Duckhorn Merlot is genuinely excellent and almost always more approachable with the rich cuts on this menu. It's the sleeper pick most people breeze past on the way to Silver Oak.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, and steakhouses in particular love to mark it up knowing the name will sell itself. You're paying a premium for a label, not a wine that outperforms its neighbors on this list. The juice is fine, but the value isn't there.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Prime Rib
Stag's Leap has a more elegant, structured profile than most California Cabs — less jam, more precision — which means it cuts through the richness of prime rib without overwhelming it. Classic steakhouse pairing done right.
The Bottom Line
Nineteen 86 is a legitimate wine program for a casino steakhouse — the Wine Spectator nod is earned, even if the list plays it very safe. Come for the Prime Rib, order the Jordan, and manage your expectations about discovering anything you haven't seen before.
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Bar Louie is a perfectly fine place to drink a beer or a cocktail, but the wine list is an afterthought dressed up in column formatting. If wine is why you're going out, go somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Glendale · Hotel restaurant
Desert Sage is a hotel bar wine list that knows exactly what it is and makes no apologies. Unless DAOU is calling your name, order a cocktail and save the wine for dinner somewhere else in Glendale.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Glendale · Modern American
The Lola isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that perfectly clear. If you're eating here, order the Chandon to start, pick the Cape Mentelle Semillon if you want to feel something, and budget the rest of your enthusiasm for the food.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
VAI Resort · Glendale · Rooftop Bar / Small Plates
Amara Rooftop is a place you go for the view and a cocktail — the wine list is an afterthought dressed up in a resort price tag. If wine is your thing, drink something fun downstairs and come up here for the sunset.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
VAI Resort · Glendale · Mediterranean / New American
Cala isn't where you go to have your wine mind blown, but it's a competent, Mediterranean-focused list with enough range to drink well through dinner — and the Tignanello alone is reason enough to look past the resort pricing tax. Send a friend here knowing they'll be fine; just steer them away from the Santa Margherita.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westgate Entertainment District · Glendale · American gastropub / bar & grill
Bar Louie Westgate is a perfectly fine place to drink beer and watch a game — the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved seems to know it. If wine is your thing, order a cocktail and come back to the wine conversation at a different restaurant.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
National Park Corridor / Parkway · Gatlinburg · American, Steakhouse
The Park Grill is a reliable dinner stop if you're winding down after a day in the Smokies and want a solid glass of California wine with your steak — just don't expect the list to reward curiosity or spare your wallet. Send your friends here for the food and the vibe; tell them to drink the Sonoma-Cutrer and not overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Stowe Village · Stowe · American, Steakhouse
Harrison's is the kind of reliable neighborhood anchor that Stowe regulars and ski-weekend visitors can count on — the wine list won't blow your mind, but it won't let you down either. Send a friend here knowing they'll drink fine; just don't send them expecting a deep dive.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Denver · Denver · American, Steakhouse
Range is a confident, well-kept steakhouse list that won't surprise you but absolutely won't let you down — especially if California Cabs are your language. Just come in with your eyes open on pricing, and let Dan steer you toward the Jordan.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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