Bloomin' Onion, Wilting Wine List
Henrietta · Rochester · American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 19, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Outback Steakhouse’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 this West Ridge Road Outback is exactly what you'd expect from a national chain that put more R&D into the Bloomin' Onion than its beverage program. Everything is predictable, branded, and built for volume. You're not here to discover wine — and the list knows it.
The Australia-forward angle makes sense on paper — it's the brand's whole thing — but in practice it amounts to a narrow lane of commercial blends rather than anything that reflects what Australia actually does well. The flagship pour is the Kangaroo Court Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon, Outback's own house label blended by Mollydooker, a solid Aussie producer who's capable of far better. Beyond that, expect the usual chain suspects: big-brand Cabs, grocery-shelf Chardonnays, and nothing that would surprise or excite anyone. No regional depth, no Old World counterweight, no real reason to explore the list.
By-the-glass specifics aren't published, but chain locations like this typically rotate a handful of branded pours that map directly to the bottle list — safe, approachable, and not particularly interesting. Don't expect a rotating program or anything poured with intention. This is a get-in, get-out glass situation.
Kangaroo Court Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon — $39
It's the only specific wine we can point to on this list, and at roughly double retail it's not a bargain — but if you're eating a slab of beef and want something that can handle it, this Mollydooker-blended Shiraz-Cab has the weight to do the job. Just don't expect finesse.
Kangaroo Court Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon
The Mollydooker connection is the only interesting thread here — that producer makes genuinely good Aussie Shiraz at higher tiers, and some of that DNA trickles into this house label. Most tables are ordering cocktails and ignoring it entirely, which at least means the bottle isn't sitting under a heat lamp for weeks.
Kangaroo Court Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon
At $39 for a bottle retailing around $20, you're paying a 95% markup on a house-label blend. That's not egregious by chain steakhouse standards, but it's steep enough that you'd be better served asking for the cocktail menu or just drinking water with your steak.
Kangaroo Court Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon + Juicy Steaks
A bold Shiraz-Cab blend needs something with fat and char to anchor it — and a ribeye or sirloin from the wood-fired grill is exactly that. It's not a nuanced match, but it's a functional one. The fruit-forward Aussie style has enough structure to cut through the meat without getting lost.
The Bottom Line
Outback Henrietta is a steakhouse that happens to serve wine, not the other way around. Drink the cocktails, eat the steak, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
Downtown · Rochester · American Steakhouse
CHAR makes it easy to try Finger Lakes wine alongside the steakhouse standards. Our move is Hosmer Cabernet Franc at $16/glass, with Panizzi Vernaccia at $14 for anyone leaning white. Check the per-ounce pricing before ordering a Coravin pour.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Neighborhood of the Arts · Rochester · Contemporary American with Italian and French inspiration
Avvino is the rare neighborhood restaurant where the wine list is a genuine reason to show up, not an afterthought. If you're in Rochester and you care about drinking well, this is your room.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Brighton / Monroe Ave · Rochester · Contemporary American with Italian and French influences
Avvino is the kind of wine-forward neighborhood restaurant Rochester deserves more of — nearly 200 bottles, a sommelier, and a standing half-price Wednesday that makes a solid splurge genuinely accessible. It's not reinventing the wine list, but it's doing the right things consistently enough that we'd send a friend here without hesitation.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Village Gate / NOTA · Rochester · Farm-to-Table / New American
Lento isn't trying to be a wine destination, but its list is thoughtful enough that it kind of becomes one by accident — especially if you care about Finger Lakes wines in their natural habitat. Send your friends here, let them order the Duck Confit, and point them toward the Cab Franc.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pittsford · Rochester · Refined Seasonal American with Wood-Fired Pizzas
jojo Pittsford is the kind of wine program that makes you want to cancel your dinner reservation somewhere else. For a bistro in suburban Rochester, this list is genuinely exciting — send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
East Avenue / Winton · Rochester · Traditional Italian
Ristorante Lucano is a reliable Italian dinner with a wine list that doesn't embarrass itself — Italy-focused, anchored by classics, a bit overpriced but not offensively so. Send a friend here for a date night with the instruction to order the Barolo and not overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · American Steakhouse
The Ranch is clearly a destination for the ribeye, not the Riesling. With only thirteen labels — several of which are essentially the same entry — and no pricing transparency, no visible wine expertise, and a list anchored by grocery-store staples, the wine program reads like an afterthought to the cocktail menu. If you're coming for steak, come for the steak; just don't expect the wine list to keep up.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Norcross · American Steakhouse
The evidence here points to a wine dinner feature list, not an actual wine program — and even by wine dinner standards, five bottles with no pricing and a mystery sparkling wine isn't inspiring. If you're eating at J. Alexander's Peachtree Corners on a regular Tuesday, we genuinely don't know what's on the wine list, and that's not a great sign. Order a cocktail, ask your server what's actually available, and don't plan your evening around the wine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Worth · American Steakhouse
Del Frisco's Grille Fort Worth has a wine list the same way an airport newsstand has a wine section — technically true, practically limiting. Order the Tokaji for dessert, drink cocktails with dinner, and don't expect anyone to help you navigate the difference.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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