Cincinnati's Old Guard Does Cabernet Right
Columbia Tusculum · Cincinnati · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Precinct’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into The Precinct — a converted 1901 police patrol house — you half expect the wine list to be as old-school as the building, and honestly, you'd be right. The list is a 300-plus bottle monument to Napa Cabernet and Bordeaux, curated for the expense-account crowd who already knows what they want. There's nothing surprising here, but there's also nothing sloppy.
The list leans heavily on California's greatest hits: Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak, Duckhorn, Rombauer — the Mount Rushmore of steakhouse wine. Napa Valley and Sonoma dominate, with Bordeaux holding down the old-world flank. If you're hunting for Burgundy depth, natural wine curiosities, or anything from the Southern Hemisphere, you're going to be disappointed. This is a list that knows its audience — prime beef eaters who want a big, extracted red — and it serves them without apology.
The by-the-glass program runs 15 to 25 options, which is respectable for a steakhouse of this caliber. Expect the usuals in the glass: a Rombauer Chardonnay, probably a Jordan or similar Cab. Rotation appears minimal — this is a "set it and forget it" program, not one hunting for seasonal excitement.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — null
Jordan is the value anchor in a lineup that could run much steeper. It's a classic Alexander Valley Cab — structured, food-friendly, and reliable — that doesn't pretend to be something it's not. In a list where bottles can push well north of $100, Jordan is the move for anyone who wants quality without the full penalty.
Duckhorn Merlot
Everyone in the room is ordering Cabernet. That's their loss. Duckhorn's Napa Merlot is a legitimately serious wine that gets ignored the moment it shares a menu with Silver Oak and Caymus. It's plush, structured, and drinks beautifully against a dry-aged cut — and you'll likely get better table service on it because no one else is ordering it.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is a fine wine. It's also one of the most marked-up bottles in the American steakhouse circuit, and The Precinct is not going to be the exception. You're paying a serious premium for a label everyone recognizes, not for anything unique to this list. The money goes further elsewhere on this menu.
Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon + Dry-Aged USDA Prime Steak
Silver Oak's Alexander Valley Cab is built for exactly this moment. It's got the tannin structure to stand up to a dry-aged prime cut, but the ripe fruit and vanilla-oak softness that keeps it from overwhelming the meat. It's a classic pairing for a reason — sometimes the room reads the situation correctly.
The Bottom Line
The Precinct is not going to surprise you, and it's not trying to. It's a well-run, properly staffed, Napa-forward steakhouse list that delivers exactly what Cincinnati's finest dining institution has been delivering for decades. Send a friend here if they want a great bottle of California Cab with a serious steak — just tell them to skip the Caymus.
Newport (Greater Cincinnati Riverfront) · Cincinnati · Seafood
Chart House delivers exactly what it promises: a reliable, unadventurous wine list in a spectacular waterfront setting. Come for the view and the lobster bisque — just don't expect the wine list to match the scenery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Cincinnati · Wine Bar
Ripple is punching well above its Cincinnati zip code with a sparkling-forward list that's genuinely thoughtful and mostly fairly priced. If you love bubbles in all their forms, this is your spot — and even if you don't walk in that way, you might walk out converted.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Cincinnati · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Cincinnati is a reliable, well-stocked steakhouse list that delivers exactly what it promises — big California reds, proper storage, and a bottle for every budget above $50. Just don't come expecting discovery; come expecting execution.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Over-the-Rhine · Cincinnati · Tapas / Mediterranean-inspired small plates
Abigail Street is a Wild Card because nobody walks into a tapas spot in OTR expecting Lebanese orange wines and Champagne from Bollinger — but here we are. The markup math on the tap program stings, but the top half of this list is doing real work and earns a recommendation.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North / Kenwood area · Cincinnati · New American / Grill & Wine Bar
Seasons 52 Cincinnati is a chain wine program that punches above its weight class on volume and actually tries — Monday half-price bottles are a legitimate reason to show up on a specific night. Just go in knowing this is a crowd-pleaser list, not a discovery list, and you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Mason · Cincinnati · West Coast–style American (brunch-focused cafe)
Maplewood Mason isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the list is fair, accessible, and has just enough personality (Stolpman, Jezebel Blanc) to keep it from being totally forgettable. If you're here for brunch, grab a glass and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Honolulu · Steakhouse
The Capital Grille Hawaii's wine list does what the brand does everywhere — it's safe, corporate, and priced to capture resort-market margins. The Champagne selection is genuinely deep and includes some worthwhile picks like the Paul Bara and the Llopart Cava, but markups are steep and there's little here to excite anyone looking beyond the obvious. If you're here for a steak and want bubbles, you'll find something that works — just don't expect the list to dazzle you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waikiki · Honolulu · Steakhouse
BLT Steak Waikiki is a competent, crowd-pleasing steakhouse wine list in a setting where you're mostly paying for the view and the popovers. If wine is central to your evening, call ahead and ask what's actually open — the list's documented depth isn't enough to guarantee a great bottle without some homework. Come for the porterhouse, manage your wine expectations.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Decatur · Steakhouse
Kevin Rathbun Steak has built a by-the-glass program that takes wine seriously enough to include Chablis, Oregon Pinot, and Realm Cellars on the same list — that's not nothing. Markups trend steep at the top end, and without verified dish information we can't tell you what to order with what. But if you're eating here and skipping the wine list entirely, you're leaving the best part of the menu alone.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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