Hotel Wine That Actually Doesn't Hurt
Downtown · Wilmington · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Steam Restaurant & Bar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walk into Steam expecting hotel wine at hotel prices and you'll be pleasantly surprised — the markups here are genuinely fair, sitting in that rare 30-35% range when the rest of the industry is gouging at 3-4x retail. It's a predictable list built for a broad audience, but at least it's not trying to rob you while you eat oysters.
The list leans heavily on approachable, widely distributed labels — Carletto, Matchbook, Maggio, Markstone — nothing that's going to make a wine nerd's heart race, but nothing embarrassing either. You've got California dominance with a nod to Italy via some Veneto bottlings, and a sparkling rosé from Mendocino that shows at least a little range. Don't come here looking for Burgundy, Rhône, or anything with real cellar depth — this list was curated for the conference attendee, not the cork dork. The gaps are real, but what's here is priced honestly.
The glass program appears to be the whole show — every wine we found in the markup data is priced in that $10-$12 range, which is nearly unheard of for a hotel restaurant at this level. Rotation seems minimal and the selection won't challenge anyone, but you can order a second glass without doing math in your head, and that's worth something.
Onward Sparkling Rosé, Hawk's Eye Ranch, Mendocino 2022 — $12
A California sparkling rosé from a single vineyard in Mendocino for $12 a glass is legitimately good value. This is the most interesting bottle on the list and it's priced like a house pour.
Matchbook Chardonnay, Dunnigan Hills 2023
Dunnigan Hills gets overlooked constantly — it's a warm inland California region that produces leaner, less buttery Chardonnay than Napa or Sonoma. At $12, most people will order something else, but this is the pick for anyone tired of the oaky California Chard cliché.
Markstone Pinot Noir, California
Generic California Pinot with no vintage, no sub-appellation, no story. When a label can't tell you where in California the grapes came from, that's a red flag. Spend your $11 on the sparkling rosé instead.
Carletto Pinot Grigio, Veneto 2022 + Blue Crab & Corn Chowder
Pinot Grigio's natural acidity and light body cut through the cream in the chowder without fighting the sweet crab flavor. It's a simple call, but it works — and at $11 a glass alongside a bowl of local chowder, it's a pretty good Tuesday night.
The Bottom Line
Steam isn't going to be anyone's wine destination, but the markups are shockingly fair for a hotel restaurant and the sparkling rosé alone is worth the stop. If you're in downtown Wilmington and want a decent glass without getting fleeced, this does the job.
Lumina Station · Wilmington · Upscale American / New American with Seafood and Steaks
Port Land Grille is a dependable wine program for a dependable upscale dinner — it won't wow you, but it won't let you down either. If you're in Lumina Station and want a solid glass with a serious steak, you're in the right place.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murrayville/Market Street · Wilmington · Modern American / Southern Comfort
JohnnyLukes is a solid neighborhood spot that happens to have a wine list, not a wine destination that happens to serve food — and that's fine. Show up on a Wednesday, grab the Sea Sun or the Il Masso at half price, and pair it with the crab cake. You'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Riverfront/Marina · Wilmington · Seafood / American
Marina Grill is a perfectly solid spot to drink wine if you show up on a Wednesday and let the half-price deal do the heavy lifting. Any other night, the markups are hard to justify when the list is this unambitious.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Riverfront · Wilmington · Southern comfort and New Orleans-inspired American
Rooster & The Crow is doing real things in the kitchen, but the wine list is an afterthought dressed up with familiar labels and steep markups. Order a cocktail, or bring your own if corkage is an option — this list isn't the reason to come.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Riverfront · Wilmington · Upscale Italian
Floriana isn't trying to be a wine destination, and that's fine — it's trying to be a great Italian restaurant with a wine list that doesn't let the food down. For a date night in Wilmington, it delivers exactly that.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Second Street · Wilmington · Italian (Abruzzese-inspired, house-made pasta)
Tarantelli's wine list is a solid, Italy-focused companion to food that deserves it — fair prices, logical pours, and no real duds. It won't blow your mind, but it'll make your Osso Buco taste better, and that's the whole job.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
7th Ave / Dolores · Carmel By The Sea · New American
Seventh & Dolores isn't a destination wine list, but it's a respectable one that at least knows where it is geographically. Come for the steak, order the Wrath, and don't expect to go down any rabbit holes.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail · Vail · New American
Vin48 is a genuinely surprising wine program hiding inside a Colorado ski resort, and if you're a wine-first diner passing through Vail, it absolutely warrants a stop. The markups reflect the zip code more than we'd like, but the depth and curation of the list are the real deal.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Solvang · Solvang · New American
Root 246 is the rare hotel restaurant that actually earns your wine attention — a focused Santa Barbara County list with real producers, a sommelier who knows the material, and pricing that doesn't punish you for being curious. If you're passing through Solvang wine country, this is where you eat.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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