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 →
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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.
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
Pittsford Plaza · Rochester · Sushi and Japanese-inspired contemporary dining
Next Door is a Wild Card in the best sense: a grocery chain's restaurant with genuine wine ambition and a beverage program that earns more than a dismissive eye-roll. The markups will sting and the by-the-glass program needs more visibility, but the bones are here — and the wine pairing dinners featuring Château d'Yquem prove someone in the building actually cares.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Corn Hill · Rochester · Wine Bar / New American
Flight is exactly what Rochester needed and didn't know it had — a real wine program in an unexpected zip code, with Wednesday half-price bottles that make an already fair list even easier to love. Send your wine-curious friends here before it gets too crowded to get a table.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Neighborhood of the Arts · Rochester · Urban winery tasting room with small plates and charcuterie
Living Roots is one of Rochester's more original wine experiences — a dual-continent estate poured by people who actually know what they're talking about, at prices that don't punish curiosity. If you want a broad global list, go somewhere else; if you want a focused, well-executed tasting room with a genuine story, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
· 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
North Carson · Carson City · American Steakhouse
Glen Eagles is a comfortable, classic Carson City steakhouse with a wine list that's essentially coasting — one strong Port section surrounded by a whole lot of nothing. Come for the prime rib, order a Port after, and don't expect much more from the wine side of the menu.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Marcos · San Marcos · American Steakhouse
Outback San Marcos won't embarrass you if you order a glass with dinner, but you're not here for the wine list and nobody pretends otherwise. Stick to the Riesling or the Malbec and spend your energy on the steak.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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