Cheddar Bay Biscuits Deserve Better Than This
South Topeka · Topeka · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 2, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Red Lobster – South Topeka’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list arrives looking like it was designed by committee in 2011 and hasn't been touched since. Twenty-odd labels, every single one a name you've seen at a grocery store checkout aisle. This is a list built for people who don't really want to think about wine — and honestly, it succeeds at that.
California and New Zealand carry the whole show here, with a token Italian showing up via Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio and Washington State getting one seat at the table through Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling. There's no real depth, no surprises, and zero producer diversity — just the usual suspects: Kim Crawford, Kendall-Jackson, Meiomi. If you've ever stared at a supermarket wine aisle and thought 'this could be a restaurant list,' Red Lobster made your dream a reality. The closest thing to an interesting pick is the Ste. Michelle Riesling, which at least has a sense of place.
Roughly 8–12 pours available by the glass, running $7–$11, which sounds reasonable until you realize you're paying restaurant markup on bottles that retail for $10–$14. The rotation doesn't rotate — what's on the list today was on the list last year and will be on the list next year. At least there's enough variety to cover the white-red-rosé bases without much fuss.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $9/glass
Off-dry, bright, and actually built for seafood — it handles the Lobster Bisque and anything buttery without flinching. It's the one wine on this list that earns its spot on a seafood menu.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
Most tables here default to Chardonnay out of habit, but the Ste. Michelle Riesling is the sleeper pick — more food-friendly than anything else on this list and underordered by a wide margin.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
A $13 retail bottle showing up at $30–$35 on the list. It's fine wine in the most literal sense — fine, unremarkable, overpriced for what you get. The buttery style also fights the kitchen's already-rich sauces instead of cutting through them.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling + Wood-Grilled Salmon
The Riesling's touch of residual sugar and crisp acidity plays well against the char on the salmon and keeps things fresh rather than heavy — one of the few genuinely smart combinations available on this list.
The Bottom Line
Red Lobster's wine list is exactly what you'd expect from a national chain that treats wine as an afterthought — familiar names, steep markups, zero curation. Order the Riesling, enjoy the Cheddar Bay Biscuits, and don't come here looking for a wine moment.
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Jose Pepper's is a great spot for a frozen margarita and a chimichanga — the wine list just isn't why you're here, and it knows it. Order the cocktails and don't look back.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Topeka · Topeka · Italian
The wine list at Olive Garden East Topeka is a corporate document, not a wine program — marked up steeply on bottles that deserve no such confidence. Order a cocktail, split a bottle of the house Chianti if you must, and save your wine curiosity for literally anywhere else in Topeka.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West/Central Topeka · Topeka · Italian
The wine list exists because every Italian restaurant has to have one — not because anyone here is passionate about it. Drink the Cavit, enjoy the unlimited breadsticks, and save the serious wine drinking for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Topeka · Topeka · Italian-American
Olive Garden is not a wine destination and was never trying to be one — the list exists to move bottles, not to inspire anyone. Order the Il Grigio if you want something worth drinking, otherwise stick to the Chianti and save your wine energy for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Topeka · Topeka · Steakhouse
LongHorn's wine program exists to check a box, not to enhance your dinner. Order the steak, skip the wine list, and if someone insists, point them to the Decoy Cab and move on.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Topeka · Topeka · Seafood
Red Lobster North Topeka's wine list is a functional, forgettable chain program — it won't ruin your dinner, but it's not the reason to come here. Stick to the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, eat your weight in Cheddar Bay Biscuits, and set your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Carmel · Carmel By The Sea · Seafood
Catch is a dependable wine stop for a seafood dinner in Carmel — nothing here will disappoint you, but nothing will surprise you either. If you go in with calibrated expectations and order the Schramsberg with your crab, you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Hood River · Hood River · Seafood
Votum is operating a world-class wine program in a town most people only stop through on the way to a hike — the depth of this cellar belongs in a major city restaurant, and the sommelier presence means you're not navigating it alone. The markups on the prestige bottles will sting, but find your entry point and this list rewards serious attention.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Bowen's Wharf · Newport · Seafood
The Lobster Bar isn't a wine destination, but it's a perfectly competent list for what the restaurant is — a casual waterfront spot where the lobster is the star. Order the Sancerre, eat the oysters, watch the boats.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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