Old Hollywood Glamour, Solid Pours Included
Downtown Albany · Albany · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Hollywood Brown Derby’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at The Hollywood Brown Derby arrives looking like it was designed to reassure, not challenge. Familiar California labels, a few Italian standbys, and some international fill-ins — it's the kind of list that won't confuse your uncle but won't excite your wine-nerd friend either. That said, the pricing is noticeably reasonable for a downtown steakhouse, which earns some goodwill right away.
The list spans California, Italy, France, Australia, Chile, and Argentina, but California is clearly running the show here. You'll find crowd-pleasers like Honig Sauvignon Blanc and Chappellet Mountain Cuvée Cabernet anchoring the domestic side, while Sartori Pinot Grigio and Castello Banfi Brunello hold down the Italian flank. The Brunello is a legitimate bottle in the lineup — it's not a common sight on Albany steakhouse lists — but the overall selection leans heavily toward safe, recognizable names rather than anything adventurous. There are no real deep dives into Burgundy, Rhône, or anything that would make a serious wine drinker linger over the list.
Ten-plus options by the glass with a price range of $10 to $29 gives you real room to explore without committing to a bottle. The Hitching Post Cork Dancer Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara is the most interesting pour on the glass list — a label with genuine credibility that punches above its weight class. The program feels static though; there's no sense that the glass list rotates with any intention or seasonality.
Jarvis Finch Hollow Chardonnay Napa — $28
At $28 a glass against a $40 retail price, this is one of the tighter markups on the list. Jarvis is a serious Napa producer — cave-aged, estate fruit, the real deal — and getting it at this price in a downtown steakhouse is a genuine win.
Inniskillin Vidal Icewine, Okanagan Valley
Most people scroll past the dessert wine section without a second look, and that's a mistake here. Inniskillin is one of the benchmark names in Canadian icewine, and the Okanagan Vidal is intensely sweet without being cloying. Most diners at a steakhouse will never order it, which just means more for the rest of us.
Sartori Pinot Grigio, Veneto
Nothing wrong with Sartori as a producer, but Pinot Grigio at steakhouse markups is rarely the move. This is a grocery-store-tier bottle that costs you convenience pricing without the convenience. Order the Honig Sauvignon Blanc instead and put the difference toward dessert.
Chappellet Mountain Cuvée Cabernet, Napa + Prime Rib
Mountain Cuvée is built for exactly this — it's a structured, tannic Napa Cab that needs something fatty and rich to show its best side. Prime rib delivers. The fat softens the tannins, the wine cuts through the richness, and suddenly you're having a very good evening in Albany.
The Bottom Line
The Hollywood Brown Derby won't blow any wine minds, but it prices fairly, stocks a few genuine bottles worth ordering, and doesn't embarrass itself. Send a friend here for a steakhouse dinner and tell them to skip the Pinot Grigio.
· Albany · Italian, Steakhouse, Seafood
Choose by budget, check bottle size, and confirm the current menu. We haven't independently assessed service, glassware or storage.
Downtown Albany · Albany · Steakhouse
Order by the glass and explore: the posted menu gives you Riesling, Chablis, Cahors and Rioja without a bottle commitment. Pentimento at $16 is our price-conscious red starting point. Check the current list before ordering; the complete cellar, service and storage haven't been independently verified.
West Albany · Albany · Italian
Grappa ’72 gives you several ways into Italian wine without committing to a prestige bottle. Our move is Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva at $47/bottle for the table, or Bigi Orvietto at $9/glass if you want your own white. Confirm the current vintage and price when ordering.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown/Clinton Square · Albany · Modern Mexican / Latin-inspired
Ama Cocina isn't a destination wine bar, but it's a Wild Card worth respecting — a food-forward Latin spot that actually thought about its wine list instead of phoning it in. Come for the tacos, order the Albariño, and be pleasantly surprised.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Warehouse District/Riverfront · Albany · Wine Bar / American Small Plates
The Shaker & Vine is Albany's best argument for the self-pour wine bar format — the markup is shockingly fair, the riverside setting earns its keep, and the list is approachable without being embarrassing. Don't come hunting for rare producers, but do come for a relaxed pour with a view.
Solid Range
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Colonie · Albany · Classic Italian-American
Lombardo's wine list is the culinary equivalent of a comfortable booth — nothing revelatory, but nothing offensive, and it gets the job done alongside a plate of baked ziti. Send a friend here for the food and tell them to order the Barolo if they want to feel like they tried.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Yountville · American
RH Yountville is a genuinely beautiful place to drink wine — the room earns that much on atmosphere alone, and the California-forward list will keep most guests happy without any friction. But in Yountville, where the competition includes some of the most serious wine programs in the country, 'happy without friction' isn't the same as memorable. Go for the experience, order confidently by region, and don't expect the list to surprise you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bakersfield · American
Yard House Bakersfield is a beer hall that happens to sell wine, and the list makes no effort to hide that. Markups are aggressive, selections are safe to the point of being anonymous, and the only reason to open a bottle here is if your table voted against another round of IPAs. If you're wine-focused, redirect your budget to the Jean-Luc Colombo Rosé by the glass and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Yountville · American
The Kitchen at Priest Ranch is a one-winery show, and that's exactly the point. If you want to spend an evening exploring what a single Napa estate produces across whites, rosé, Zinfandel, Merlot, and multiple Cabernet expressions — including older large-format bottles — this is a genuinely interesting way to do it. Just don't come expecting breadth or outside discovery. Send a friend here if they love Priest Ranch or want to.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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