Steakhouse Hiding a Natural Wine Secret
Unknown · Atlanta · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 6, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Six bottles. That's the whole list. At a steakhouse chain known for its jumbo lobsters and celebrity caricatures on the walls, you'd expect a wall of Napa Cabs and a token Chardonnay — instead, you get Puzelat-Bonhomme Loire and a Ruth Lewandowski skin-contact wine from Utah. We did a double take too.
Whoever curated this tiny list clearly has opinions, and they're good ones. You've got the Lucien Crochet Sancerre for your white drinkers, the Clos du Gravillas Minervois for something earthy and southern French, and the Ferrando Canavese Rosso for Nebbiolo lovers who don't want to drop $100 on Barolo. The Domaine Bois de Boursan Châteauneuf-du-Pape anchors the list with some gravitas. The gap? Almost no breadth for guests who want something in between crowd-pleasing and adventurous — if you don't vibe with natural or low-intervention, you may feel stranded.
One option by the glass. One. At $23 a pour, whatever they're pouring better be worth your while — and with a list this focused, it probably is — but a single BTG option at a full-service steakhouse is borderline indefensible. If you're not buying a bottle tonight, you're basically making a blind bet.
Ferrando 'Canavese Rosso' 2013 — $44
Ferrando is a legendary producer in Piedmont and their Canavese Rosso — a Nebbiolo-Barbera blend — typically trades well above this price point at retail. Getting it at $44 a bottle at a restaurant is legitimately rare. Order it.
Puzelat Bonhomme Loire 2014
Thierry Puzelat is one of the founding figures of the natural wine movement in the Loire, and most guests at a steakhouse will walk right past this without a second glance. That's a mistake. It's weird, alive, and nothing like the polished Sauvignon Blancs this crowd usually reaches for.
Lucien Crochet 'Le Chêne' Sancerre 2013
Lucien Crochet makes great Sancerre, but 'Le Chêne' is their top-tier single-vineyard bottling, and a 2013 at a steakhouse raises serious questions about storage conditions and how long this bottle has been sitting. At $90 you're taking a real gamble on a wine that needed proper cellar care to still be singing.
Domaine Bois de Boursan Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2011 + Prime NY Strip
Bois de Boursan makes a structured, Grenache-forward Châteauneuf that has the weight and dark fruit to go toe-to-toe with a well-marbled strip steak without getting lost in the fat. It's the move on this list if you're eating red meat.
🎲 The Bottom Line
We'd never send someone to The Palm specifically for the wine list — six bottles and one glass pour isn't a program, it's a mood board. But whoever chose these six bottles deserves credit, because they're all genuinely interesting picks that punch well above the chain steakhouse average.
West Midtown · Atlanta · Alpine / European
Avize is doing something genuinely rare in Atlanta: building a short wine list with actual conviction, pointed straight at the corners of Europe that deserve more attention. If you eat here and don't order something you've never heard of, you're doing it wrong.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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By George is a fine place to drink wine if you know what you're walking into — a curated-but-safe list built for a stylish crowd that wants rosé and bubbles without friction. Come for the Crémant and the Tavel; don't expect to find anything that'll make you rethink your relationship with wine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Gastropub / Rooftop
Nine Mile Station isn't a destination for wine nerds, but it's a perfectly decent place to drink something cold and recognizable while the Atlanta skyline does the heavy lifting. Come for the view, drink the Crémant, ignore the Rombauer.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Wine Bar
Vin Atl is doing something most Atlanta wine bars aren't: curating a short list with genuine intention instead of padding it with safe bets. At these prices, it's worth a stop even if you only come for one bottle.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Rooftop Bar / Small Plates
St. Julep is a place to drink wine, not a place to drink well. If you're here for the skyline and the scene, pour the rosé and enjoy it — just don't come expecting the list to surprise you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
BeltLine · Atlanta · Cocktail Bar with Kitchen
The James Room is a cocktail bar first and a wine destination never — but the list is competent enough to get you through a bottle without frustration. Come for the atmosphere, order the Cava or the Sancerre, and let the cocktail menu handle the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
I-35 / North Creek · Laredo · Steakhouse
Outback Laredo's wine program is a national chain doing national chain things — predictable, overpriced relative to quality, and staffed by people who aren't expected to know anything about what they're pouring. Come for the Bloomin' Onion, stick to a cocktail, and save the wine order for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Creek / I-35 · Laredo · Steakhouse
Logan's Roadhouse is not a wine destination — it's a steakhouse chain where wine clearly wasn't part of the concept. Order a beer, order a cocktail, and save the bottle for a restaurant that's actually trying.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Mall del Norte Area · Laredo · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse Laredo is a great spot for a $17 steak and a bucket of rolls — the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved knows it. Order a margarita, or grab the Ste. Michelle Riesling and call it a night.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.