Perrone's Restaurant and Bar

The wine list at Perrone's reads like a greatest hits of California — familiar, comfortable, and built for a crowd that knows what it likes. It's the kind of list where you scan the page and immediately see old friends: Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak. No surprises, which is either reassuring or a little boring depending on your mood.

This is a California-forward list through and through, and it earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence by doing that one thing consistently well. Napa and Sonoma dominate: Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Silver Oak Alexander Valley anchor the Cabernets, Duckhorn covers the Merlot-curious, and Rombauer and Cakebread lead the Chardonnay charge. What's missing is any real venture outside the Golden State — if you want Burgundy, Barolo, or even a Willamette Pinot, you're largely out of luck. At 100-150 bottles, there's size without much range.

The by-the-glass program runs 10-16 options and tops out around $18, which keeps things accessible for a beachside steakhouse crowd. Expect the usual suspects — Sonoma-Cutrer for white drinkers, probably a Cabernet or two for the red side. Rotation appears minimal; this list isn't being refreshed weekly.