Napa-heavy hits for the dry-aged crowd
Mercato · Naples · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed February 24, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed The Capital Grille’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The Capital Grille's wine book lands with a thud—350+ labels sounds impressive until you flip through and realize it's a greatest hits compilation of Napa cult cabs and crowd-pleasing Chardonnays. This is corporate steakhouse wine programming at its most predictable: heavy on recognizable names, light on adventure, priced for expense accounts.
The list leans hard into California comfort zones—Napa and Sonoma dominate the reds with the usual suspects like Duckhorn, Orin Swift, and a parade of $200+ cabernets that all taste vaguely similar. There's token representation from Champagne (Moët, Schramsberg) and some Columbia Valley presence, but don't expect any Burgundy depth, interesting Italian producers, or natural wine detours. It's built for clients who want Rombauer Chardonnay with their bone-in filet, and it delivers exactly that. The depth is more vertical than horizontal—lots of vintage variation on the same producers rather than exploring different regions or styles.
Eighteen by-the-glass options spanning $13-$42 is decent range for a steakhouse, and they cover the bases: bubbles, white Burgundy-style, Napa cab, a token Merlot. The Rombauer Chardonnay is here, naturally, along with Orin Swift Palermo (a Zin blend that works with char). But the pours feel static—no sense of seasonal rotation or staff excitement about new arrivals, just the same reliable lineup that's been there since 2019.
Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rosé — $18/glass
California sparkler that punches above its weight—crisp, strawberry-tinged, and a fraction of the Champagne markup. Perfect steak opener.
Columbia Valley Syrah (house selection)
Everyone orders the Napa cab, but Washington Syrah brings white pepper and dark fruit that cuts through butter-basted ribeye better than tannic Cabernet ever will.
Rombauer Chardonnay
At $28/glass and likely $85+ per bottle, this buttery blockbuster is marked up to oblivion. You're paying for brand recognition, not quality.
Duckhorn Merlot + Bone-in Filet
Plush Merlot tannins wrap around the char and marbling without overwhelming the beef's richness—softer than Cab but more structured than Pinot.
The Bottom Line
The Capital Grille does exactly what a corporate steakhouse should: proper glassware, climate-controlled storage, and a list built for safe choices. But you're paying a premium for predictability, and the staff won't steer you toward anything unexpected because there's nothing unexpected to steer toward.
Downtown Fort Myers · Naples · Steakhouse
Chops City Grill is the real deal for wine in Southwest Florida — a 400-bottle list with a sommelier and proper stems isn't something you take for granted down here. The markups keep it from being a full Rager, but if you're eating a prime ribeye anyway, you're already committed to spending money, so lean into it.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Naples · Naples · American
Warren is a whiskey bar that does wine correctly, which is more than most can say. Eric Gaboury and the Wine Spectator nod give it credibility, and if you stick to the California producers you know or let staff steer you toward the Burgundy shelf, you'll drink well with your steak.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Mercato · Naples · American
Old Vines is exactly what it needs to be for Mercato — a polished, reliable wine list with genuine depth in its California and French lanes, even if the pricing skews toward the Naples wallet and the list doesn't take many risks. Send a friend here if they want something they recognize done well; send a wine nerd elsewhere.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Naples · Naples · American Steakhouse
Shula's is a genuinely impressive California Cab cellar wearing a classic steakhouse suit — the markups sting and the list doesn't wander far from Napa, but if that's your game, this is one of the better places to play it in Southwest Florida. Come on a Wednesday, order the Hillside Select, and stop overthinking it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
Marco Island · Naples · Italian
Sale E Pepe is the rare beachside Italian that takes its wine program as seriously as the frescoes on the walls — the Italian cellar depth is real, the WS credential is well-earned, and it's worth the trip even if the markups sting a little. Send your friends here for Barolo and osso buco; they'll thank you.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Vanderbilt Beach · Naples · Gulf Coast Seafood
Baleen delivers exactly what a resort wine list should: no surprises, no risks, just reliable bottles at premium prices. If you're here for the sunset and fresh grouper, the wine program won't get in the way—but it won't elevate the meal either.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Charlotte · Steakhouse
The Palm Charlotte's wine list is a six-bottle natural wine curio hiding inside a chain steakhouse, and it's more interesting than it has any right to be. The Crochet Sancerre at $23 alone is worth the detour. Don't expect breadth, staff guidance, or a by-the-glass program worth writing home about — but if you know what you're looking at, this short list punches well above its weight.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Riverwalk · San Antonio · Steakhouse
Brenner's on the Riverwalk punches above the average tourist-strip steakhouse — 159 labels with real dessert wine depth and some genuine international range is nothing to dismiss. Pricing is likely steep given the location, and the list skews traditional, but if you know what you're looking for, there's something worth ordering here. Go in with a plan, skip the obvious bottles, and don't leave without looking at the dessert wine section.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Las Vegas · Steakhouse
Strip House's all-by-the-glass format is smart for a Vegas crowd that wants to explore without committing, and the list has more personality than most hotel steakhouses — the Testamatta and the Lingua Franca Chardonnay prove someone made actual choices here. Prices skew high at the top end, but the $15–$25 tier offers genuine quality. Come for the steak, stay for the glass pours, and skip the Kosta Browne unless the night calls for it.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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