Trophy Hunting in the Seagram Building
Midtown East · New York · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 5, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed The Grill’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at The Grill arrives like a leather-bound novel — and at 3,000 to 4,000 selections deep, it reads like one too. This is a room built for power lunches and celebration dinners, and the list matches the room's ambition without apology. You are not here to find a bargain; you are here to drink seriously.
California and Burgundy are the undisputed anchors — we're talking Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine Leroy, and Henri Jayer in the same list, which is not something you say about many restaurants in America. Bordeaux coverage is equally deep, with Château Pétrus, Château Margaux, and Château Latour accounted for across multiple vintages. Italy punches well above its usual supporting-role weight here, with Giacomo Conterno Barolo and Gaja Barbaresco giving the old-world faithful something to get genuinely excited about. Champagne rounds it out with Krug and Salon Blanc de Blancs — two houses that never feel like they're just filling space on a list.
With 20 to 30 options by the glass, the program is more generous than the restaurant's trophy-wine reputation might suggest. The pours skew toward crowd-pleasing but well-sourced selections, and the five-sommelier team — Williston Cox, Erin Kesseli, Libby Winters, Jeremy Hansen, and Christian Piscitelli — means someone always knows what's in those bottles. Expect to spend meaningfully per glass, but expect to get something worth it.
Kistler Chardonnay — $80–$120 (estimated bottle range based on list positioning)
In a list stacked with four-figure Burgundy, Kistler offers world-class California Chardonnay at a price point that won't require a separate conversation with your accountant. It's the closest thing to a value play on a list that wasn't designed with that word in mind.
Ridge Monte Bello
Everyone chasing the California trophy names walks right past Ridge Monte Bello, which has been quietly outperforming its price for decades. It's one of the most age-worthy American Cabernets made, and on a list full of flash, it's the one with actual gravitas.
Opus One
Opus One is fine wine. It's also one of the most marked-up bottles in American restaurant culture, and at The Grill it will cost you significantly more than the already-elevated retail price. The halo effect is baked into what you're paying — there are better bottles on this list for less ego and more glass.
Giacomo Conterno Barolo + Prime Rib
Barolo's iron-clad tannins and high acidity were practically engineered for a thick cut of prime rib. Conterno is the real deal — structured, complex, and built for exactly this kind of moment in exactly this kind of room.
The Bottom Line
The Grill is one of the most serious wine destinations in New York, full stop — a Grand Award list with five sommeliers in a landmarked dining room is not something you stumble into. Bring a reason to celebrate, leave the budget anxiety at the door, and let the team steer you somewhere great.
Midtown · New York · French Brasserie
La Grande Boucherie earns its place as a reliable stop for wine in Midtown, especially if you're leaning French. The glass list is genuinely wide and has some smart picks buried in it — the Fleurie and the Wiemer Riesling both punch above their price points. Markups trend steep as you climb the bottle list, so your money works hardest in the by-the-glass section. If you're here for the brasserie experience, the wine program holds up its end of the deal.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Steakhouse
BLT Prime's wine program is glass-only, which limits your options if you came for a big bottle moment, but the pricing is honest and the selection is more thoughtful than most steakhouses bother with. If you're keeping it casual and ordering by the glass, you can drink well here without feeling taken advantage of — and that's not nothing in this city.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
The Palm Midtown is not where you'd expect to find Puzelat and Ruth Lewandowski sitting next to each other on a wine list — which is exactly what makes it worth a second look. Six bottles is a short menu, but all six are defensible picks at prices that don't insult you. If you're in the mood to trust the list and not overthink it, this works.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murray Hill · New York · Classic American Steakhouse
Wolfgang's is a reliable steakhouse wine experience in the sense that you know exactly what you're getting: a list built around the bottle you already know, priced for the room you're sitting in. If you're here to close a deal over a Porterhouse for Two, the wine list will do its job without embarrassing anyone — but it's not going to surprise you, and it's almost certainly going to cost more than it should. Go in with eyes open and a strong second-choice red in mind.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is a rare thing in New York: a focused, regionally coherent program that commits hard to Greek and Eastern Mediterranean varieties without making you feel like you need a flashcard to order. The by-the-glass selection alone — 18 options, all under $18, featuring producers most wine lists wouldn't touch — makes this worth visiting even before the food arrives. If you eat here and order a Cabernet, that's on you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Italian
A long bottle list with Italian, Burgundy and Champagne sections, fronted by a 22-wine glass page. For a glass, try the Skerk Orange Wine from Friuli at 25/95, and for a bottle on a lighter budget, the Volpaia Vermentino at 60; upstairs in the café, the labeled list pours Palistorti di Valgiano's orange Tuscan blend at Glass $22. Confirm prices before you order, because the site's Upstairs Café dinner menu and the beverage PDF do not match. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown Roswell · Roswell · American
Canton St. Social is a solid neighborhood restaurant in historic downtown Roswell, and the wine program appears to be built for exactly that — supporting a good night out without overcomplicating things. We don't have enough sourced wine data to tell you what to order, which means your best move is to ask your server what's pouring well that night and go from there. Worth a visit for the food and atmosphere; the wine list is a work in progress as far as our research goes.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Worcester · American
The Boynton is a great neighborhood spot for a cold beer, a burger, and a game — and that's exactly what it should be. The wine program is along for the ride, not driving the car. If wine matters to you tonight, this isn't your destination; if you're here for the food and the vibe, order a beer and enjoy it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Atlanta · Atlanta · American
Hard Rock Cafe Atlanta's wine list is a Lazy List by every measure — grocery store brands, steep markups, no specials, and a rotating staff with little incentive to know what's in the glass. If you're here for the memorabilia and the atmosphere, lean into a cocktail or a beer. If wine is non-negotiable, the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling or Columbia Crest Cab will get you through the night without regret.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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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