North Shore's Serious Steak and Serious Bottle List
Peabody ยท Peabody ยท American Steakhouse ยท Visit Website โ
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Pellana arrives with the kind of heft you'd expect at a classic American steakhouse that actually takes its cellar seriously. California dominates, as it should here, and the presence of names like Opus One and Stag's Leap signals that someone put real thought into this program. Wine Spectator has handed them a Best of Award of Excellence every year since 2020, and the list earns it.
California is the backbone and rightfully so โ Caymus, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, Jordan, Beringer Private Reserve, and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars cover the Cabernet bases from crowd-pleasing to serious collector territory. France shows up through Louis Jadot Burgundy, giving the list a classic Old World anchor without overreaching. Italy gets a nod via Antinori Super Tuscans, which is exactly the right call for a steakhouse that wants to offer something beyond the obvious. The list runs 200-350 bottles, which is genuinely deep for the North Shore โ this isn't a list padded with grocery store filler.
With 12-20 pours available at $12-$18, the by-the-glass program is functional and reasonably priced for an upscale steakhouse. The range appears to pull from the same California-forward core as the bottle list, which means you're not stuck choosing between mystery house pours. We'd like to see more rotation and a few wilder picks by the glass, but what's here is solid.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon โ $40s-$50s
Jordan consistently overdelivers for its price point โ it's a polished, food-friendly Alexander Valley Cab that drinks far above its retail cost, and at a steakhouse with bottles climbing well past $100, this is the move if you want quality without the sticker shock.
Louis Jadot Burgundy
Most tables here are ordering Cab, which means the Burgundy section gets overlooked. A well-chosen Jadot โ whether it's a village Chambolle or a Gevrey โ brings a completely different energy to a filet mignon, and the contrast is worth exploring.
Opus One
Look, Opus One is a genuinely great wine. It's also the most recognizable name on any steakhouse list in America, which means it carries a premium far beyond what's in the bottle. You're paying for the label as much as the wine โ save that money and put it toward two bottles of something equally impressive.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Dry-aged ribeye
Stag's Leap brings that signature Napa structure โ firm tannins, dark fruit, real backbone โ that goes toe-to-toe with the fat and char on a dry-aged ribeye without either one winning. It's the classic match executed well.
๐ฅ The Bottom Line
Pellana is the real deal for the North Shore โ a steakhouse that treats its wine list as seriously as its beef, with a California-anchored cellar deep enough to reward multiple visits. The markups are what they are for this category, but the quality and range justify the trip.
Hanes Mall / Strickland Rd ยท Winston Salem ยท American Steakhouse
Firebirds isn't trying to reinvent anything, and the wine list reflects that โ it's a dependable, California-forward selection that does its job without embarrassing itself. If you want adventure, look elsewhere; if you want a solid bottle with a good steak in a comfortable room, this gets you there.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Jersey City Waterfront ยท Jersey City ยท American Steakhouse
Fire & Oak is a hotel steakhouse wine list that does exactly what it's supposed to do: make business travelers feel at home and move bottles that everyone recognizes. If you're expecting something beyond that, you're in the wrong restaurant.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Nob Hill / Van Ness Corridor ยท San Francisco ยท American Steakhouse
House of Prime Rib is one of San Francisco's great dining institutions and the wine list knows its assignment โ California Cabs to drink with California beef, no fuss. It won't thrill anyone looking for adventure, but it won't embarrass anyone either, and for a night built around tableside carving and Yorkshire pudding, that's probably enough.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.