Spencer's for Steaks and Chops

You open the wine list at Spencer's and it's immediately clear this isn't the obligatory four-page afterthought most hotel steakhouses phone in. Over 300 labels, a sommelier on staff, and a bottle of Château Cheval Blanc 1989 that's priced within spitting distance of retail — this place takes its cellar seriously. The room already signals old-school luxury; the wine list backs it up.

The list skews heavily toward what you'd expect — Napa Cabernet, French Bordeaux, big reds for big steaks — but there are genuine surprises buried in here. The inclusion of Forge Cellars Dry Riesling Classique from Seneca Lake signals that someone on staff is paying attention to American wine beyond California, which is not a given at a hotel steakhouse in the Midwest. The French side of the list earns real credibility with blue-chip Bordeaux like Cheval Blanc alongside more accessible options. Where the list could push harder is in Burgundy depth and Southern Hemisphere representation, but at 300-plus labels, these feel like nitpicks.

A dedicated by-the-glass PDF exists, which is more than most places this size bother with — a good sign that the program is actively managed rather than left to gather dust. We'd expect a solid range of pours given the list depth, including at least one white option that goes beyond basic Chardonnay territory. The Bex Riesling from Nahe is the kind of low-key, food-friendly pour that belongs on a glass list at a place like this.