The Wine List That Phoned It In
Airport Area · Irvine · Upscale Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ruth's Chris Steak House – Irvine’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list at Ruth's Chris Irvine and it feels less like a curated selection and more like a greatest hits album from 2007 Napa. Everything is exactly where you'd expect it to be, and that's not a compliment. It's a corporate list designed to impress people who already know the brand names — not to surprise anyone.
The list runs 100+ labels and stays almost entirely in California's comfort zone: Napa Cabs, Sonoma Chards, and a smattering of French Champagne for the celebration table. You'll find Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Duckhorn, Rombauer, Cakebread, Belle Glos — a murderers' row of recognizable bottles that look great on an expense report but offer zero discovery. There's nothing wrong with any of these wines individually, but the list as a whole reads like it was assembled by committee and hasn't been meaningfully updated since the Obama administration. International representation is essentially nonexistent, and there's no natural wine, no Rhône, no Burgundy worth mentioning.
The by-the-glass program runs 15-20 options at $15–$24 a pour, which sounds reasonable until you do the math and realize most of these are bottles retailing under $40 being poured at prices that imply something far more interesting. Rotation appears nonexistent — this is a static program. If you're here and want a glass, the Belle Glos Pinot Noir is probably your most interesting move, but don't expect anything that'll make you put your fork down.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley — $135
At $65 retail, the markup still stings at 2x, but Jordan is genuinely good wine — structured, food-friendly, and a notch more elegant than the Caymus that costs $60 more here. By Ruth's Chris standards, it's the least offensive bottle on the list.
Belle Glos Pinot Noir
Everyone comes here for Cabernet, so the Belle Glos sits largely ignored. It's a big, fruit-forward Pinot that holds its own against the butter-forward sides on this menu, and it's priced below the heavy hitters on the list. If you're splitting a bottle with someone who doesn't want red meat, this is your move.
Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
At $195 a bottle — more than double retail — Caymus is the most aggressively marked-up wine on the list and also the most requested, which means the kitchen knows exactly what it's doing. It's a fine, crowd-pleasing Cab, but you're paying a hefty premium just to say you ordered Caymus at a steakhouse. Don't do it.
Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon + USDA Prime Ribeye
Silver Oak's Alexander Valley Cab is softer and more approachable than its Napa counterpart — ripe dark fruit, a little vanilla from the American oak, and enough structure to cut through the ribeye's fat without overwhelming it. Still overpriced at $175, but if you're going to spend money here, at least spend it on something that actually fits the plate.
The Bottom Line
Ruth's Chris Irvine serves perfectly fine wine the same way it serves perfectly fine steak — reliably, expensively, and without any particular imagination. If someone else is paying, fine. If you're paying, know that you're covering a lot of overhead with every sip.
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Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Eureka built a genuinely solid burger-and-beer concept, and the wine list confirms they know exactly where their priorities lie. Come for the burgers, come for the beer — but if wine matters to you tonight, eat somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
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