Bold Reds, Big Checks, Few Surprises
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · Upscale Steakhouse
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 16, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Capital Grille’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The Capital Grille arrives with the confidence of a restaurant that has won a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and knows it. The list is thick, organized, and serious — this is not a place that phoned it in. But flip past the prestige labels and the prices start doing things to your blood pressure.
The list leans hard into California — bold Cabs, power Chardonnays, and cult-adjacent names like Orin Swift, Caymus, and The Prisoner front and center. There's legitimate international coverage spanning France, Italy, Germany, New Zealand, Argentina, and Spain, so it's not a one-trick pony, but the soul of this list is unmistakably American red. Old World depth is present but feels more like window dressing than a real commitment. If you came for Burgundy or Barolo rabbit holes, you're at the wrong restaurant.
Twenty-five by-the-glass options is a serious number for a steakhouse, running from $13 up to $42 a pour. The range hits sparkling, white, and red with recognizable names like Schramsberg Mirabelle, Mer Soleil Silver Chardonnay, and Orin Swift Palermo Cab doing the heavy lifting. Rotation appears minimal — this list is built for consistency, not discovery.
Schramsberg Mirabelle Blanc de Blancs NV — $75
At 88% over retail, this is the least punishing markup on the list — and Schramsberg Mirabelle is genuinely good sparkling wine. Order it before the dry-aged porterhouse arrives and feel fancy without getting completely robbed.
Mer Soleil Silver Chardonnay
In a room full of people ordering Caymus, the unoaked Mer Soleil Silver is the understated move. It's clean, bright, and won't compete with the kitchen — most guests walk right past it for something bolder and miss out.
Riondo Spumante Prosecco Extra Dry NV
A $15 bottle of grocery-tier Prosecco hitting the menu at $55 is a 267% markup on a wine that has no business being in this price neighborhood. If you want bubbles, spend the extra $20 and get the Schramsberg.
Orin Swift Palermo Cabernet Sauvignon + Dry-Aged Porterhouse
Palermo is big, dark-fruited, and built for exactly this moment. The fat and char on a dry-aged porterhouse need a wine with enough structure and fruit density to stand up — Palermo doesn't flinch.
The Bottom Line
The Capital Grille Scottsdale is a reliable, well-run wine program that earns its Award of Excellence and then charges you generously for it. Send your friend here if they want a polished experience and aren't watching the bill too closely — just steer them away from the Prosecco.
· Scottsdale · Restaurant
Anhelo is doing something quietly ambitious — a focused, considered wine list in a city that often settles for Caymus and a bucket of Whispering Angel. The markups aren't shy, but the curation is real, and the Sauternes library alone is worth a detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Town Scottsdale · Scottsdale · American
Frasher's isn't reinventing the steakhouse wine list, but it's doing the job with a Wine Spectator credential and a Wednesday half-price night that makes the steep markups a lot easier to live with. Send a friend here if they want a reliable California Cab with their red meat — just tell them to go on Wednesday.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
DC Ranch · Scottsdale · American, Small Plates
The Living Room isn't trying to reinvent wine — it's trying to make California Cab and Chardonnay feel like an event, and it mostly succeeds. Send your friends here for a comfortable, well-staffed wine experience; just remind them to drink the Duckhorn.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · French
The Mick Brasserie is a dependable, well-staffed wine destination dressed up as a casual neighborhood spot — a genuinely rare combo in Scottsdale. The markups keep it from being a great deal, but the sommelier team and the quality of the list make it worth showing up for.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · American, Steakhouse
STK Scottsdale is a reliable California wine destination — not a discovery, but a dependable one. If you're here for Wagyu and a bottle of Stag's Leap, you will not leave disappointed; just don't expect the list to surprise you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · Italian
Marcellino is doing something genuinely uncommon in Scottsdale — a disciplined, Italy-first wine program with real producers and a sommelier who clearly cares. Markups tip steep on the prestige bottles, but the depth of the list earns it a spot on your list if Italian wine is your thing.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Marina District (Golden Nugget) · Atlantic City · Upscale Steakhouse
Vic & Anthony's is a perfectly competent steakhouse wine list doing exactly what a casino steakhouse wine list is supposed to do — just don't expect fair pricing or anything off the beaten path. Order the Decoy, enjoy your steak, and pocket the difference.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Beachside/Ocean Walk · Daytona Beach · Upscale Steakhouse
Hyde Park Prime Daytona is a dependable, well-run wine program in a room that knows what it wants to be — and mostly delivers. Markups will sting, but the sommelier, the depth, and the oceanfront setting make it the right call when the occasion calls for a serious bottle and a serious steak.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Cool Springs · Franklin · Upscale Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Franklin is a reliable wine execution at a chain price point — nobody's going home unhappy, but nobody's going home with a story either. Go on a Wednesday, hit the half-price bottle promotion, and drink better than the menu's markup would otherwise allow.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
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