Steakhouse Hides a Natural Wine Secret
· Chicago · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 14, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Palm Chicago’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into a classic steakhouse expecting a wall of Napa Cabs and overpriced Bordeaux, and instead you find six bottles that read like a natural wine bar's tasting menu. It's jarring in the best possible way. Someone in this kitchen actually cares.
Six bottles is a short list by any measure, but the curation here is genuinely surprising. We've got Lucien Crochet's single-vineyard Sancerre, a Puzelat-Bonhomme Loire that leans funky and low-intervention, Ferrando's Canavese Rosso built on Nebbiolo and Barbera from Piedmont, and Ruth Lewandowski's 'Feints' — a California bottle with serious cult credibility. The Clos du Gravillas Minervois and Bois de Boursan Châteauneuf-du-Pape round out the reds with Old World gravitas. There are no filler bottles here — no obvious crowd-pleasers, no Kendall-Jackson in sight.
By-the-glass options aren't detailed in available data, so we can't speak to the pour program. Given the tight six-bottle list, it's possible the whole thing functions as a bottle-only selection — but we'd ask your server to confirm. If they're pouring the Sancerre by the glass at that price point, grab it immediately.
Lucien Crochet 'Le Chêne' Sancerre 2013 — $23
A single-vineyard Sancerre from one of the Loire's most respected names at $23 a bottle is not a typo. This is the kind of wine that retails for $35–$45 without blinking. Order it before they fix the menu.
Ferrando 'Canavese Rosso' 2013
Ferrando is a legendary Carema producer working with Nebbiolo in the Alpine foothills of Piedmont — a region most people couldn't find on a map. The Canavese Rosso is their entry point and it's deceptively serious: lean, aromatic, built for food. At a steakhouse, it's going to cut through fat in a way that a big Cab won't, and most tables will walk right past it.
Domaine Bois de Boursan Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2011
Ninety dollars is a lot to ask for a Châteauneuf that's had a decade to either shine or fade — and without knowing how it's been stored here, that's a gamble. The rest of the list offers much better value per dollar. Save the $90 for a second bottle of the Sancerre.
Ferrando 'Canavese Rosso' 2013 + Ribeye
Nebbiolo's natural acidity and savory tannins are built to go with red meat. The Canavese Rosso is lighter on its feet than a full Barolo, which means it won't club the beef — it'll actually let the char and fat do their job while keeping the palate fresh.
The Bottom Line
This is not the wine list you expect to find at The Palm, and that's exactly why it earns attention. Six bottles, zero filler, genuinely fair pricing — if someone's tending this list, they deserve a raise.
Logan Square · Chicago · Italian
For a bottle night, start with Thursday's advertised half-price selection. Wednesday's posted four-course menu is $55 with an optional $30 wine pairing, before other charges. The restaurant discloses a 3.75% administrative fee on guest checks; confirm current terms when booking.
Lincoln Park · Chicago · American Casual
Summer House is not a wine destination, but it's a reliable place to drink well enough without getting gouged on the low end — just steer clear of the big-name bottles where the markup climbs. Send your friend here if they want something easy and good; don't send them here if they're chasing something serious.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chicago · Italian
il Carciofo is doing something genuinely rare: building a wine list that treats Italian regional variety as the main event, not the footnote. If you're tired of the same Pinot Grigio and Chianti Classico circuit, this is exactly where you should be eating dinner.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Chicago · Chicago · Steakhouse
STK Chicago is here to sell you a night out, and the wine list is just part of the set dressing. If you care about what's in your glass, eat here for the steak and order water.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chicago · French Brasserie
La Grande Boucherie Chicago is a reliable wine destination for anyone who wants a French-focused list executed with genuine effort and the occasional smart value. The markups aren't shy, but the BTG program and specials take some of the sting out — go in with a plan and you'll drink well.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
West Loop · Chicago · Californian
The Oakville Grill earns its Wine Spectator credential and the sommelier duo makes this list accessible, not intimidating. Wednesday half-price wine night alone is reason enough to get a reservation — just let go of the idea that anything other than California is on the agenda.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Beverly Hills · Los Angeles · Steakhouse
What we can document at Mastro's Beverly Hills is a narrow, Napa-centric selection that plays zero risk and offers zero surprise — which is a defensible choice for a power-steakhouse crowd, but not one we can enthusiastically endorse to wine lovers. The seven wines on record are all from a single event page, so the full list is almost certainly broader; but until we have more to work with, our honest advice is to know what you want before you sit down, because the list isn't going to inspire you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
· Yountville · Steakhouse
Press is a special-occasion restaurant with a wine program built to match — deep Napa regional focus, a sommelier on staff, and pairing options that range from serious to stratospheric. The pricing is steep by design, and you should go in knowing the wine spend can easily outpace the food bill. If you're willing to lean into it, this is exactly the kind of Napa experience the valley was built around.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Vail · Steakhouse
Russell's isn't trying to be a wine destination and doesn't need to be — but the list is better than the room probably demands. Fair pricing, a genuine global reach, and twenty pours by the glass make this a steakhouse wine program worth engaging with. Order the Fincas de Ganuza, skip the Laurent Perrier, and leave the mountain resort markup where it belongs: on the cocktail list.
Solid Range
Fair
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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