Big steaks, bigger cellar, no apologies
Lake Buena Vista · American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Shula's Steak House’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Shula's arrives like the menu itself — heavy, serious, and not messing around. With 400 to 600 selections anchored by California heavyweights and serious French and Italian bottles, this is a list built for people who order the 48-oz Porterhouse and mean it. The Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator, held since 2011, isn't just wall decor here — you feel it in the depth.
California is the beating heart of this list, and the lineup reads like a Napa hall of fame: Caymus, Silver Oak, Far Niente, Stag's Leap, Chateau Montelena, Joseph Phelps Insignia, and Opus One all present and accounted for. France holds its own with Louis Jadot Burgundy and Chateau Lynch-Bages in the mix, while Italy brings the heat via Antinori Tignanello and Gaja Barbaresco — not exactly afterthoughts. If there's a gap, it's on the adventurous end: this list isn't hunting for natural wine fans or Jura nerds, it's built for the steak-and-Cab faithful and it executes that mission with conviction. Bordeaux and Burgundy depth is real, and the presence of sommeliers Antoine Paul and Morgan Scheler means someone is actually curating this thing.
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass is a generous program for a steakhouse of this format, and the caliber skews upscale — expect Cab-forward options from recognizable Napa producers rather than generic house pours. Rotation appears limited rather than dynamic, which is typical for a resort property with high volume and consistency demands, but the quality floor is higher than most competitors in the Disney corridor.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $90
Jordan consistently punches above its price point, and in a list full of three-digit Napa bottles, it's one of the more honest value plays — classic Alexander Valley structure, food-friendly, and a known quantity that won't surprise you in the wrong direction.
Chateau Lynch-Bages
Most tables here are laser-focused on California Cab, which means the Bordeaux section gets overlooked. Lynch-Bages is one of Pauillac's most consistent overachievers — deeper complexity and more cellar character than anything on the Napa side at a comparable price, and it handles prime beef beautifully.
Opus One
Opus One is a prestige pour and absolutely earns its reputation, but at a resort steakhouse with resort markups, you're paying a premium on top of an already premium bottle. The name is doing a lot of the work on the bill. Jordan or Stag's Leap gets you 80% of the experience at a fraction of the hit.
Gaja Barbaresco + Prime Dry-Aged Beef
Gaja's Barbaresco brings high-acid structure and earthy complexity that cuts through the richness of dry-aged beef in a way that Napa Cab just can't — it amplifies the funky, concentrated character of the meat rather than competing with it. It's the move for anyone who wants to look like they know exactly what they're doing.
The Bottom Line
Shula's is a classic American steakhouse wine list done right — deep, credentialed, and staffed by people who actually know what's on it. The markups are what they are for a Disney resort property, but the bones of this program are legitimate and the Best of Award of Excellence is well-earned.
Lake Buena Vista · Lake Buena Vista · American, Californian
Summer House on the Lake is a genuinely solid California wine program wearing a Disney Springs address, which is the last place you'd expect to find it. Go in knowing the markups are steep and the list never strays from the California playbook, and you'll have a good time — just don't expect any surprises.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lake Buena Vista · Lake Buena Vista · American
Victoria & Albert's wine program is the real deal — deep, properly stored, and serious enough to earn its Wine Spectator credential without leaning on the Disney brand for cover. The markup is what it is at this level, but if you're already committing to the tasting menu, the wine list is worth the ride.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Lake Buena Vista · Lake Buena Vista · Spanish
Capa is the rare resort restaurant where the wine list is a genuine reason to show up, not an afterthought tacked onto a view. With Thomas Rotherham running the program, Wednesday half-price wine nights, and a Spanish-forward list that earns its Best of Award of Excellence, we'd send a friend here without hesitation — even if they weren't staying at the Four Seasons.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
· Irvine · American Steakhouse
The Ranch is clearly a destination for the ribeye, not the Riesling. With only thirteen labels — several of which are essentially the same entry — and no pricing transparency, no visible wine expertise, and a list anchored by grocery-store staples, the wine program reads like an afterthought to the cocktail menu. If you're coming for steak, come for the steak; just don't expect the wine list to keep up.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Norcross · American Steakhouse
The evidence here points to a wine dinner feature list, not an actual wine program — and even by wine dinner standards, five bottles with no pricing and a mystery sparkling wine isn't inspiring. If you're eating at J. Alexander's Peachtree Corners on a regular Tuesday, we genuinely don't know what's on the wine list, and that's not a great sign. Order a cocktail, ask your server what's actually available, and don't plan your evening around the wine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Rochester · American Steakhouse
CHAR makes it easy to try Finger Lakes wine alongside the steakhouse standards. Our move is Hosmer Cabernet Franc at $16/glass, with Panizzi Vernaccia at $14 for anyone leaning white. Check the per-ounce pricing before ordering a Coravin pour.
Solid Range
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
