Perry's Steakhouse & Grille

The wine list at Perry's reads exactly like you'd expect from a Houston steakhouse — heavy on the Malbec, leaning on big Bordeaux names, and stacked with dessert wines that feel almost like an afterthought until you realize there are more port options than white wines. It's a list that knows its audience and isn't trying to impress anyone who wasn't already impressed by the filet. That's fine, but it means adventurous drinkers will feel the ceiling pretty quickly.

At 77 labels, the list is respectable in size but leans hard on a few safe lanes: Malbec from Argentina (TintoNegro, Terrazas, Colomé, Catena, Maal Bestial), Bordeaux blends, and Merlot. The most genuinely interesting section is the dessert wine and fortified program — Blandy's 10 Year Old Malmsey Madeira, Dow's 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Warre's Quinta Da Cavadinha Vintage Port, and Royal Tokaji Red Label 5 Puttonyos all show real curation that the rest of the list doesn't quite match. White wine and anything from outside France and Argentina is sparse to the point of feeling like an oversight. If you came for red meat and red wine, you're in the right place; if you wanted a Grüner or a northern Rhône Syrah, keep walking.

Thirteen by-the-glass options running $9 to $35 is a workable spread for a steakhouse, though the pours skew predictably toward crowd-pleasing reds. The top end of that glass range — $35 — is where you'd hope to find something exceptional, but without more transparency on what's rotating through, it's hard to know if you're getting value or just paying for a name. Don't expect surprises; do expect something drinkable with your steak.