Eight Hundred Bottles Deep in the Desert
Biltmore · Phoenix · American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 5, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Capital Grille’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list lands on the table like a small novel — dense, California-forward, and clearly meant to impress. Between the white tablecloths and dark wood paneling, this is a room that takes wine seriously, even if your wallet is about to take a hit. The Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator is not decorative here; the list earns it.
Eight hundred to twelve hundred selections sounds like a flex, and mostly it is — California and France dominate in all the right ways, with a murderers' row of Napa Cabernets anchored by names like Shafer Vineyards Hillside Select, Joseph Phelps Insignia, Opus One, and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars. France holds its own with Château Margaux and Château Lafite Rothschild for the big spenders, plus Louis Jadot covering the Burgundy base. The list skews toward the trophy-wine crowd, which means natural wine seekers and Rhône nerds will find this list a little one-note — but within its lane, it runs deep.
The by-the-glass program runs roughly 20 to 30 options, which is solid for a steakhouse format. You're not going to find anything adventurous or left-field here — expect familiar, crowd-pleasing pours that match the room's energy. Wednesday's half-price wine night is the move if you want to explore the glass program without a second mortgage.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — null
Jordan is the quiet achiever on a list full of heavy hitters. It drinks above its station — structured, food-friendly, and priced below the Caymus and Silver Oak crowd. At a steakhouse table full of people ordering on someone else's expense account, this is the bottle that actually makes sense for the wine.
Louis Jadot Burgundy
Most people at a steakhouse walk straight past Burgundy toward the Napa Cabs, but Louis Jadot is a legitimate detour. It's a producer with range and reliability, and in a list this Cal-heavy, finding honest French Pinot is a minor victory. Order it while everyone else is fighting over the Caymus.
Château Margaux 2018
At $1,250 a bottle, this is a wine that deserves a proper cellar-temperature dinner built around it — not a side note to a dry-aged strip and lobster mac. You're almost certainly paying a steep restaurant premium on top of an already elite price. If you're celebrating something life-changing, fine. If not, that money covers a lot of better-value bottles on this same list.
Shafer Vineyards Hillside Select + Dry-Aged NY Strip Steak
Hillside Select is one of Napa's most structured Cabs — dense tannins, dark fruit, real concentration. A dry-aged NY strip has the fat and char to stand up to every bit of it. This is the pairing the list was built for, and it delivers.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night every Wednesday — applies to select bottles and makes exploring the deeper end of the list significantly more reasonable.
The Bottom Line
The Capital Grille Phoenix is a serious wine destination dressed up as a steakhouse — the list is deep, the storage is proper, and the Wednesday half-price program makes it occasionally accessible. Markups run steep across the board, but if you know where to look, there are real wines worth ordering here.
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Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Phoenix · Phoenix · American, Seasonal
Flour & Thyme earned its Wine Spectator credential, and the Tuesday half-price night makes this one of the better wine value plays in downtown Phoenix. Steer clear of the Caymus, order the Jordan, and let the wood-fired kitchen do the rest.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Desert Ridge · Phoenix · Southwestern American
Tia Carmen is a reliable, well-executed resort wine program that earns its Wine Spectator nod without doing anything particularly daring. Send a friend here for a solid California Cab and a great meal — just don't expect the wine list to match the kitchen's ambition.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Phoenix · Phoenix · American
Rusconi's isn't trying to reinvent the wine list — it's trying to be the best California-focused neighborhood wine program in north Phoenix, and it largely succeeds. Send your friends here when they want a reliable, well-sourced bottle without having to think too hard.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Phoenix · Phoenix · Japanese, Mediterranean
Pa'La is the kind of place that earns a Wine Spectator credential by actually caring — the list is tight, Old World-focused, and priced fairly for what you're getting. Send a friend here and tell them to skip the Super Tuscans and drink Sicilian.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Camelback Corridor · Phoenix · French
Vincent's is one of the few restaurants in Phoenix where the wine list is genuinely worth the trip on its own terms — deep where it matters, staffed by someone who knows the inventory, and built to last. The markups sting, but you're buying into a program that has been maintained at a high level for nearly three decades.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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Del Frisco's Grille Fort Worth has a wine list the same way an airport newsstand has a wine section — technically true, practically limiting. Order the Tokaji for dessert, drink cocktails with dinner, and don't expect anyone to help you navigate the difference.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Carson · Carson City · American Steakhouse
Glen Eagles is a comfortable, classic Carson City steakhouse with a wine list that's essentially coasting — one strong Port section surrounded by a whole lot of nothing. Come for the prime rib, order a Port after, and don't expect much more from the wine side of the menu.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Marcos · San Marcos · American Steakhouse
Outback San Marcos won't embarrass you if you order a glass with dinner, but you're not here for the wine list and nobody pretends otherwise. Stick to the Riesling or the Malbec and spend your energy on the steak.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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