The Bloomin' Onion Deserves Better Wine
South Medford · Medford · Steakhouse (American, Australian-themed chain) · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 9, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Outback Steakhouse – Medford’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Outback Medford is exactly what you'd expect from a chain that made its name on blooming onions and steak sauce: familiar, safe, and clearly assembled by a corporate committee in Tampa. There's no local Oregon wine in sight — which, given that Southern Oregon wine country is practically in the backyard, is a genuine missed opportunity. You're essentially staring at a gas station grab list with restaurant markups.
The list leans entirely on California and domestic U.S. stalwarts — Beringer, Josh Cellars, Ménage à Trois — brands you recognize from the grocery store aisle, not the wine shop. There's no regional representation, no nod to the Rogue Valley or Applegate Valley producers making genuinely good Syrah and Tempranillo just miles away. Depth is nonexistent: this is a checklist of varietals, not a curated selection. If you came hoping to find something that reflects where you are, you'll leave disappointed.
Ten pours by the glass sounds reasonable until you realize they're all from the same shallow pool of national brands with nothing rotating or remotely adventurous. The Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling is probably the most respectable option in the lineup, but that's a low bar. Don't expect your server to have opinions — or information — about any of it.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $9
Ste. Michelle reliably over-delivers for the price, and a touch of residual sugar actually works against the salt and fat of the Bloomin' Onion better than anything else on this list.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
Nobody orders Riesling at a steakhouse, which is exactly why you should — it's the only wine here with enough acidity and personality to cut through the richness on the plate.
Josh Cellars Chardonnay
Josh Cellars retails for around $12 a bottle. Whatever they're charging you per glass here, the math doesn't work in your favor — and the wine itself is aggressively unremarkable.
Beringer Founders' Estate Cabernet Sauvignon + Outback Special Sirloin
It's not a profound pairing, but Beringer Founders' Cab has enough dark fruit and soft tannin to hold its own against a sirloin without requiring any thought from anyone involved — which feels appropriate for the setting.
❌ The Bottom Line
Outback Medford's wine list is a corporate afterthought in a state that produces genuinely exciting wine — some of it within driving distance of this very parking lot. Order a beer or a cocktail, enjoy the steak, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
Central Medford · Medford · Italian-American
The Olive Garden wine list exists to move bottles, not to make you drink better — and it succeeds at exactly that modest goal. Order the Chianti, enjoy the breadsticks, and save the wine enthusiasm for dinner somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Medford · Medford · Steakhouse / American
Texas Roadhouse is a fine place to eat a steak and watch a table of twelve celebrate a birthday — it is not a place to drink wine. Order a beer, enjoy the rolls, and save your wine budget for literally anywhere else in the Rogue Valley.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Medford · Medford · Brewpub, American, Pizza
Wild River is a genuinely solid brewpub doing great things with beer and pizza — the wine list just isn't part of that story. If wine matters to you tonight, eat here and drink their beer instead.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Medford Center · Medford · Steakhouse / American Supper Club
The Butterfly Club is the last thing you'd expect in a Medford strip mall: a genuine supper club with a wine list that earns your attention. It's not perfect, but with local Oregon producers, legitimate European selections, and an overall fair approach to pricing, we'd absolutely send a wine-curious friend here.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
West Medford · Medford · Hawaiian Fusion / Seafood
Blue Fish isn't a wine destination and doesn't try to be — but the glass prices are reasonable, the Pinot Gris and Semi Sparkling Rosé actually make sense with the food, and sometimes that's enough. Come for the tacos, order the rosé, and stop thinking about it.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Historic Depot · Medford · Steakhouse and American Fine Dining
Porters is doing the right things for a steakhouse in Southern Oregon: local producers front and center, fair markups, and enough depth to reward someone who actually reads the list. We'd send a friend here for wine without hesitation, especially if they like Pinot Noir and want a genuine taste of what's growing an hour from the table.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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