Great Rolls, Wrong Place for Wine
North Atherton · State College · Steakhouse / American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Texas Roadhouse’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Texas Roadhouse State College is exactly what you'd expect from a chain built around buckets of beer and a waiting area that doubles as a bar. It's an afterthought dressed up as an option. The moment you see Sutter Home White Zinfandel anchoring the list, you know where you stand.
We're talking 10 to 20 bottles, all California, all recognizable from the bottom shelf of your local grocery store. Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi handles both the Chardonnay and Cabernet duties, Meiomi shows up as the token 'nice' Pinot Noir, and Barefoot Moscato rounds things out for the table that treats wine like dessert. There are no interesting regions, no independent producers, no surprises — this list was selected by a corporate committee and hasn't been reconsidered since. If you were hoping for something from Oregon, Burgundy, or literally anywhere outside California's mass-production corridor, keep hoping.
The by-the-glass program runs six to ten pours in the $6–$12 range, which at least keeps the damage low. The Meiomi Pinot Noir is the ceiling here — everything else is poured straight from bottles you can grab at a gas station. There's no rotation, no seasonal thinking, no sense that anyone checked in on this list recently.
Meiomi Pinot Noir — $10
It's the only wine on this list that clears the bar. Broadly appealing, fruit-forward, and drinkable alongside a ribeye when your other options are Woodbridge Cab or a White Zin. Low bar, but Meiomi clears it.
Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Chardonnay
Nobody's coming to Texas Roadhouse for Chardonnay, but if you're splitting a bottle at the table and someone needs something white, this is the least offensive call on the list. It's not interesting, but it's clean and cold and it works with the honey cinnamon butter rolls in a way that's hard to argue with.
Sutter Home White Zinfandel
Just order a lemonade. It'll scratch the same itch and cost less. White Zinfandel at a steakhouse in 2024 is a choice, and not a good one.
Meiomi Pinot Noir + Baby Back Ribs
Meiomi's jammy strawberry and dark fruit character actually holds up to the sweet, smoky BBQ glaze on the ribs without fighting it. It's the one combination on this menu where the wine doesn't feel like it wandered in from the wrong restaurant.
❌ The Bottom Line
Texas Roadhouse is not a wine destination and makes no pretense of being one — the food is the point, and the wine list is a legal obligation. Order a beer, enjoy the rolls, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
North Atherton · State College · Italian Chain
Olive Garden's wine list exists to check a box, not to enhance a meal — it's corporate, static, and marked up past the point of good value. Order the Chianti Classico if you must, but honestly, grab the cocktail menu instead.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Boalsburg · State College · American
The Butter Churn is doing something genuinely surprising for central Pennsylvania — a thoughtful, well-sourced wine list that goes beyond the expected and rewards the curious drinker. If you're anywhere near State College and care about what's in your glass, this deserves a visit.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · State College · Brewpub / American Comfort Food
Happy Valley Brewing Company is a beer destination with a wine list that exists out of obligation, not passion. If your table skips the beer, order the Whitehaven and move on — don't go chasing depth that isn't here.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · State College · American
The Field is a tap bar first, wine program distant second — and that's fine, as long as you know what you're walking into. Order the Malbec, enjoy your burger, and save the serious wine drinking for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · State College · American, burgers and bar food
The Field's wine list is functional at best and forgettable at worst — it exists to serve people who want something other than a beer, not to make anyone excited about what's in their glass. Order the Hawstone Hollow out of regional solidarity, grab the Tilia Malbec with your burger, and let the cocktail menu do the heavy lifting the rest of the night.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Bellefonte · State College · Italian
Mamma Lucrezia's isn't a destination wine list, but the Wednesday half-price bottle deal changes the math considerably — suddenly that Joseph Phelps looks a lot more interesting. Show up any other night and manage expectations; show up Wednesday and order what you actually want.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Mall · Charlottesville · Steakhouse / American
Prime 109 is one of the best wine programs in Virginia, full stop — deep list, a sommelier who clearly curated it with intention, and picks that reward curiosity over brand recognition. The markup stings, but in a room this good, with bottles this interesting, you're probably going to forgive it.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Harrisburg · Steakhouse / American
1700 Degrees is a competent hotel steakhouse wine list — safe, somewhat steep, and unlikely to thrill anyone who cares deeply about what's in their glass. But if you're here for the beef and want something that won't embarrass the meal, it gets the job done.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Avenue Corridor · Grand Junction · Steakhouse / American
Wendy's GJ Chop House cooks a solid steak, but the wine list is an afterthought dressed up with a 300% markup. Order your bourbon neat and save the wine budget for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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