Serious cellar, serious steak, serious tab
South Hill · Spokane · Steakhouse
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Chandler's Ford’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Two hundred labels at a steakhouse in Spokane — we weren't expecting to be impressed, but here we are. The list reads like someone actually cares: Oregon Pinot, proper Burgundy, Super Tuscans, and Washington bottles that go beyond the obvious Ste. Michelle adjacents. A sommelier on staff seals the deal that this isn't just a wine list built to upsell you on autopilot.
The regional anchors are Oregon and Washington, which makes sense given the address, but the list doesn't stop there — Bordeaux and Burgundy show up with enough depth to keep old-world fans busy. Highlights include the Domaine Drouhin Arthur Pinot Noir and Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia, which signals the kitchen isn't the only department with ambitions. The 200-label count is genuinely impressive for a non-wine-bar concept, and the spread from $45 to $250 means you're not forced into a corner. What's missing is a stronger presence of Washington's smaller cult producers — there's room for more adventure here.
Twenty by-the-glass options in the $12–$22 range is a solid pour program for a steakhouse of this size. The Abelnetz Eola-Amity Pinot Noir showing up by the glass is a good sign — that's not a grocery store choice. We'd like to see more rotation here, but what's on the board is curated rather than dumped.
Abelnetz Eola-Amity Pinot Noir 2021 — $68
At $68 versus a $45 retail tag, the markup is fair for a restaurant of this caliber, and you're getting a genuinely distinctive Eola-Amity Pinot that earns its place on a serious list. Order this before the ribeye hits the table.
Domaine Drouhin Arthur Pinot Noir 2020
Most tables here are ordering big reds and Cabs they recognize. The Arthur sits quietly at $95 and punches well above that — it's the kind of Oregon Pinot that makes Burgundy fans stop complaining, and most diners walk right past it.
Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2019
At $450 on the menu versus $320 at retail, the markup isn't outrageous by fine dining standards, but unless you're specifically here for a Sassicaia moment, that's a lot of money to spend at a Spokane steakhouse when there are better relative values on the same list.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2021 + Lobster bisque
The Montelena Chardonnay is structured and restrained — real Napa Chard with backbone, not butter bomb. That tension cuts through the richness of the bisque and keeps the whole thing from going heavy. It's the move before your dry-aged ribeye arrives.
The Bottom Line
The Chandler's Ford is the kind of steakhouse wine list that makes you actually read the whole thing before ordering. No half-price nights, no flashy deals — just a well-stocked, fairly marked cellar run by someone who knows what they're doing. Send a friend here who takes wine seriously.
Kendall Yards · Spokane · Winery and craft distillery tasting room with small bites
Browne Family's Spokane room is a confident single-producer tasting experience done right — fair prices, knowledgeable pours, and a genuine case for why Washington State deserves your attention. Send a friend here if they think Washington wine is just an also-ran.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
West Downtown / Riverside · Spokane · Barbecue / American Tavern
The Blackbird is a genuinely good barbecue tavern that simply doesn't care about wine, and the steep markups on uninspired bottles make that indifference expensive. Come for the smoked meats and a cold beer — if you insist on wine, grab the Milbrandt and move on.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Fondue / Upscale Casual
The Melting Pot Spokane isn't a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — but the Washington State anchors on this list are genuinely good, and if you stick to those, you'll drink well enough for the occasion. Come for the fondue experience, order the Ste. Michelle, and save the serious wine night for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Hotel cocktail bar and lounge with small plates
1919 won't blow any minds, but for a hotel bar in downtown Spokane it earns genuine respect for keeping Washington State producers front and center. Come for the room, stay for the Beresan — just don't expect any surprises in the pricing.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Hotel Rooftop/Terrace Bar
The Grand Terrace Bar is a great place to drink wine in Spokane — just not necessarily great wine. Come for the skyline, order the Riesling, and save the serious bottle hunting for elsewhere.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Wine Bar
Barrister is a genuine Wild Card: a serious urban winery tucked into Spokane's rail district that most wine travelers blow past on their way to Walla Walla. If you're in eastern Washington and you haven't stopped here, you owe yourself a visit.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Greensboro · Steakhouse
Fleming's Greensboro is doing more than most chain steakhouses bother to do with wine — 42 by-the-glass options and actual Alsatian whites on a Greensboro wine list deserves acknowledgment. The markups are real and the list isn't going to surprise anyone who's been to a Fleming's before, but if you're eating a bone-in ribeye and want a proper glass without guesswork, this delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · Steakhouse
Bourbon Steak Irvine is running one of the most ambitious wine programs in Orange County — 225 labels, 31 by the glass, and a list with genuine personality beyond the expected steakhouse anchors. Markups get steep at the top end, but the by-the-glass range at the $15–$32 tier offers real drinking at fair prices. If you care about what's in your glass, this list rewards the attention.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Irvine · Steakhouse
The Capital Grille Costa Mesa is exactly what it is: a well-run corporate steakhouse with a Champagne list that punches above the room's ambition and a Chardonnay section that covers the safe California bases reliably. Markups are steep throughout and the list doesn't take any risks, but if you know what you want — a glass of Hartford Court or a bottle of Schramsberg before your steak — you'll be fine. Just don't come looking for discovery.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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