Old Hollywood Glamour, Serious Bordeaux to Match
Surfside · Miami · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Surf Club Restaurant by Thomas Keller’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list arrives and it feels like the room — deliberate, unhurried, and expensive in a way that doesn't apologize for itself. This is a Thomas Keller property inside a Four Seasons in Miami, so you already know the cellar isn't an afterthought. Four hundred to six hundred selections, a dedicated sommelier team, and a Best of Award of Excellence since 2019 confirm the list is as serious as the Beef Wellington.
France leads the charge, as it should — Burgundy heavyweights like Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet sit alongside Bordeaux royalty in Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion, and Château Pétrus. California holds its own with Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, Opus One, and Sine Qua Non pulling weight on the cult side, while Kistler and Peter Michael cover the serious Chardonnay end of things. Italy isn't neglected either — Sassicaia and Ornellaia keep the Super Tuscans well represented. The list skews collector-heavy and the gaps, if any, are at the entry-level end where most of us are shopping.
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass with a range of $18 to $60 is genuinely solid for a restaurant at this level — you're not locked into a $200 bottle just to drink well. The top end of that by-the-glass range gets you into quality Burgundy and Napa Cab territory, which is the move here. Rotation frequency is unclear, but with a sommelier team this engaged, we'd expect the glass list to stay sharp.
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay — $18-$60 by the glass
Kistler is one of California's most respected Chardonnay producers and getting it by the glass at a place like this — rather than committing to a full bottle — is the smart play. It holds its own against the French whites on this list and won't crater your wallet before the entrée arrives.
Peter Michael Winery
Peter Michael consistently punches above its recognition level among casual wine drinkers. On a list dominated by DRC and Screaming Eagle name-drops, most tables will walk right past it — which means the sommelier team here will actually enjoy talking you into it. Ask them which bottling is on and go from there.
Caymus Vineyards Special Selection
Caymus Special Selection is a crowd-pleaser and it's priced like one — on a list at this tier, you're almost certainly paying a significant premium for a bottle that's widely available at retail. With Harlan, Opus One, and Peter Michael on the same list, the Caymus is the safe, expensive choice for people who don't want to choose. You can do better here.
Château Margaux + Beef Wellington
Beef Wellington is already a theatrical dish, and Château Margaux is already a theatrical wine — they deserve each other. The fine-grained tannins and dark fruit of a mature Margaux cut through the richness of the pastry and beef without overwhelming the precision of Keller's cooking. This is the splurge pairing the room was designed for.
The Bottom Line
The Surf Club is unambiguously one of the best wine destinations in Miami — the cellar depth, the sommelier team, and the sheer seriousness of the list earn the Rager badge without hesitation. The markups are real and the room is expensive, but you came to the right place if wine is part of why you're here.
Miami · Miami · Mediterranean
Casa Neos earns its Wine Spectator nod with a focused, well-executed list guided by someone who clearly knows wine — just know the markups are Miami-level and plan accordingly. Send a friend here who wants a serious wine experience alongside serious Mediterranean food; they won't leave disappointed.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Brickell · Miami · Mexican
Chateau ZZ's is the kind of place where the setting does half the work and the sommeliers do the other half — if you let them. The list may not be adventurous, but it's professionally managed, properly stored, and served in a room that makes even a straightforward Chardonnay feel like an event.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Miami · Miami · Steak house
Hereford Grill earned its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence on the back of a respectable, if predictable, California-focused cellar that does exactly one thing well: getting a serious Cab on the table next to a serious steak. If you're hunting for discovery or value, look elsewhere — but if you want a classic steakhouse wine experience with Venezuelan flair on the plate, this delivers.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Miami · Miami · Italian, Steakhouse
Sofia is a polished Italian-steakhouse with real ambition behind the wine list — the Italian producers are legit and the Wednesday half-price night is one of the better deals in Miami. Just go in knowing you're paying for the room as much as the wine, and order accordingly.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
Miami · Miami · American
Michael's Genuine earned its Wine Spectator nod with a French-focused list that's more considered than most Miami restaurants bother to be. It's not a destination wine experience, but it's a genuinely reliable place to drink well while eating well — and in this city, that counts for a lot.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
South Beach · Miami · Asian
Lucky Cat earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence on the strength of solid French producers, even if the list plays it a bit safe for a restaurant this loud and bold. Send a friend here for Champagne and sashimi — just don't expect the wine program to keep up with the room's ambition.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Baltimore · American
Give the international and local sections a look before defaulting to Burgundy. Sula at $70 and Old Westminster at $90 offer different budget options. These are posted bottle prices, not guaranteed stock; confirm availability. This menu guide doesn't rate service or cellar conditions.
· Key West · American
Caroline's Café is not a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — the identical pricing across all five house labels makes that abundantly clear. If you're in Key West looking for something interesting in your glass, keep walking; if you just need a cold pour of Chardonnay with your lunch and aren't asking questions, $8 gets you there without drama.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kerns · Portland · American
Noble Rot is the rare restaurant wine program that would hold up as a standalone wine bar — deep list, sharp staff, fair prices, and a view that makes the whole experience feel earned. Send your friends here. Send yourself here.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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