Trophy Cellar, Steakhouse Prices to Match
Back Bay · Boston · Upscale American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Smith & Wollensky Boston’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Four hundred-plus bottles and the list reads like a love letter to Napa Valley — heavy on Cabernet, Bordeaux blends, and the kind of cult labels people put on their bucket lists. It's impressive in scale, but if you came hoping to explore Burgundy, the Rhône, or anything with a screw cap and a sense of humor, you're going to feel the gap. This is a steakhouse cellar that knows exactly what it is and commits hard.
The list is anchored in California and Bordeaux, with trophy bottles like the 2015 Screaming Eagle The Flight, 2018 Harlan Estate, and 2009 Colgin IX Estate doing the heavy lifting in the prestige column. If you want to spend serious money on serious Napa Cab, the inventory to do it is here — and the storage appears legitimate enough that those bottles are being treated right. The problem is depth outside that lane: Old World representation is thin, natural wine is essentially absent, and anything adventurous or off-the-beaten-path simply didn't make the cut. It's a killer list for one type of drinker and a shrug for everyone else.
Eighteen-plus pours by the glass is a respectable number for a steakhouse, running $15 to $26 a pour. The range leans predictably toward crowd-pleasing California reds and Chardonnay, which makes sense for the room — but don't expect much rotation or anything that'll make you lean across the table and say 'what is this?' The NV Lanson Black Label Brut Champagne showing up on the glass list is a small bright spot.
NV Lanson Black Label Brut Champagne — $104
At roughly 60% over retail, this is the closest thing to a fair deal on the entire bottle list. In a room where markups routinely hit 200-300%, Lanson is practically a steal — and proper Champagne before a dry-aged ribeye is never a bad call.
2019 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Napa Valley Hands of Time Bordeaux Blend
Everyone's eyes go straight to the Harlan and the Screaming Eagle, but Stag's Leap's Hands of Time is a legitimate Napa Bordeaux blend from one of the valley's most storied addresses — without the four-figure price tag. It gets ignored because it doesn't have a cult following, which is exactly why you should order it.
2017 JUSTIN Paso Robles Justification Bordeaux Blend
A 311% markup on a bottle you can find at your local wine shop for $45 is just aggressive. JUSTIN Justification is a fine wine, but at $185 on this list it's priced like a trophy and drinking like a Tuesday night pick. Save that money for the ribeye.
2019 Dominus Estate Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend + Prime dry-aged ribeye
Dominus is structured, dark-fruited, and has the tannin backbone to stand up to the fat and char on a properly dry-aged ribeye. It's not cheap, but if you're already dropping serious money on the steak, this is the bottle that makes the whole table feel the occasion.
The Bottom Line
Smith & Wollensky Boston delivers exactly what it promises: a deep, well-kept cellar of Napa and Bordeaux heavyweights in a room that can handle them, with markups that'll make your eyes water on everything except the Champagne. If you're celebrating and want to drink big California Cab with a serious steak, this list has you covered — just don't come looking for a bargain or anything off the beaten path.
Seaport District · Boston · Greek
Trade is doing something genuinely rare in Boston: taking Greek wine seriously and giving diners the tools to explore it without a lecture. If you're eating anywhere near the Seaport and curious about what's actually in your glass, this is the move.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Financial District · Boston · American Steakhouse
The Vermilion Club isn't trying to reinvent the steakhouse wine list, and it doesn't need to — the California depth is real, the execution is consistent, and it delivers exactly what a power-lunch crowd in the Financial District wants. Just know what you're walking into: this is Cab country, the markups are steakhouse-standard steep, and adventurous wine drinkers should calibrate expectations accordingly.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Post Office Square · Boston · Cuban
Mariel earns its Wine Spectator credential by being genuinely thoughtful about a list that could have easily phoned it in. If you're in Boston's Financial District and want something more interesting than another steakhouse Cab Franc, this is exactly the kind of wild card worth having in your back pocket.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Back Bay · Boston · Seafood
Atlantic Fish is a reliable, well-run wine program in a room that takes its seafood seriously — Greg Bergeron keeps the white Burgundy and Italian whites sharp and the BTG list honest. Markups will sting on the big bottles, but if you navigate toward the value end of the list, you'll drink very well.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Lovejoy Wharf · Boston · American, Seasonal
Alcove isn't a destination wine list, but it's a genuinely solid one with fair prices and enough depth to reward the curious drinker. If you're coming for the view and the lobster risotto, you'll leave happy on the wine front too — and that's more than most waterfront spots in Boston can say.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Beacon Hill · Boston · American, Small Plates
1928 Beacon Hill is exactly what a Beacon Hill neighborhood spot should be on wine — honest, Italy-forward, and priced fairly enough that you won't feel the sting. It's not a destination list, but it's a very good reason not to skip the wine.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Highway 29 corridor · St. Helena · Upscale American Steakhouse
PRESS is the rare place where a 2,700-bottle list actually delivers — deep, well-stored, and staffed by people who know what they're talking about. The pricing is steep by any honest measure, but if Napa Cabernet is your religion, this is the cathedral.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Mauna Lani Resort · Kailua-Kona · Upscale American Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Mauna Lani does exactly what it promises: a deep, California-forward wine list served in proper glassware at steep resort prices inside a flawless steakhouse setting. You won't discover anything new here, but if you're after a great bottle of Napa Cab with your Prime filet and an ocean breeze somewhere nearby, this list will not let you down.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Appleton · Upscale American Steakhouse
Vince Lombardi's wine list won't win any awards for creativity, but it's competent, well-suited to the menu, and it won't embarrass the kitchen. If you're here for a prime steak and a reliable bottle of Jordan, you'll leave happy — just don't come looking for discovery.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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