Steak-first thinking, but the wine holds up
Clive · Des Moines · Steakhouse & American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 20, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Club Car reads exactly like the room looks: comfortable, familiar, and not trying to surprise anyone. You get the hits — Napa Cabs, a Washington Syrah somewhere in the wings, a Chardonnay that everyone at the table has heard of. It's a list built to say yes to, not to linger over.
The focus lands squarely on Napa Valley and Sonoma, with some Washington State representation rounding things out — solid steakhouse territory, no argument there. Jordan and Stag's Leap anchor the Cabernet section, which is exactly what you want when you're cutting into a prime ribeye in suburban Des Moines. The gaps are real though: minimal European presence, no Burgundy, no Rhône, and anything outside the California-Washington axis is essentially invisible. It's a list that knows its audience and doesn't push them even one inch.
The by-the-glass program runs 10 to 20 options, which is respectable for a neighborhood steakhouse of this size. Expect the usual suspects — a Chardonnay, a Cab, maybe a Pinot Noir — rotated rarely if at all. There's no evidence of an active glass program with weekly pours or tasting flights, so what's on the board tonight is probably what was on the board last month.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — null
Jordan is the sweet spot here — a recognizable Alexander Valley Cab with genuine quality behind the name. It's the most honest bottle on a list that leans pricey, and it actually holds up next to a well-cooked steak without making you feel like you overpaid for the brand.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Most tables order whatever Cab the server mentions first. If you push a little and land on Stag's Leap, you're getting one of Napa's most historically significant producers — a wine with actual structure and restraint that most people at a place like this walk right past in favor of something louder.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
KJ Vintner's Reserve is a grocery store staple — widely available, consistently inoffensive, and routinely marked up two to three times retail at restaurants. You're paying steakhouse prices for a wine that lives next to the checkout lane at your local Hy-Vee. Order the Jordan instead.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon + Prime Ribeye
Jordan's Alexander Valley fruit weight and soft tannin structure are built for red meat — enough backbone to cut through the fat on a ribeye without overwhelming the char. It's the most natural handshake on the menu.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Club Car is a reliable steakhouse wine list doing exactly what it was built to do: keep Cab drinkers happy and nobody walking out complaining. Don't come here for discovery, but don't leave without ordering the Jordan.
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Ingersoll / Grand · Des Moines · Contemporary American
Louie's Wine Dive is the kind of place Des Moines needs more of — a real wine program in a no-pretense room, with Tuesday half-price deals that make experimenting genuinely low-stakes. It's not a destination list, but it's absolutely a destination night.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Clive · Des Moines · American, Brewpub
Granite City is a brewery that tolerates wine, and the list reflects that perfectly. Drink the beer — it's the whole point of being here.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Bravo! is a fine dinner out if the pasta is what you're after, but the wine list is purely functional — corporate-designed, safely marked up, and entirely forgettable. Order a glass of bubbles or the Chianti, make peace with your choices, and let the food do the heavy lifting.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Des Moines / Jordan Creek · Des Moines · Chinese, Asian, Pan-Asian
You're not coming to P.F. Chang's at Jordan Creek for a wine revelation, and that's fine — but show up on a Wednesday, grab a half-price bottle of Whispering Angel or the Browne Family blend, and you'll drink better than the list's full-price reputation deserves. Just don't pay full freight.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.