California Cabernet Hits Every Mark Here
Financial District · Boston · American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed April 15, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed The Vermilion Club’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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The wine list at The Vermilion Club reads exactly like you'd expect from a polished Financial District steakhouse — California-heavy, brand-name familiar, and built to reassure rather than surprise. There's nothing here that'll make your jaw drop, but there's also nothing embarrassing about it. It's the kind of list that closes deals and celebrates promotions without anyone breaking a sweat.
The list runs 150-250 bottles deep with a clear California-first philosophy — Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Stag's Leap, Far Niente, and Opus One are all present and accounted for, which is basically the Mount Rushmore of steakhouse Cab. Duckhorn shows up on the Merlot side, and Cakebread holds down Chardonnay duties reliably. What you won't find is much range beyond California — if you're hunting Barolo, aged Rioja, or even a stray Willamette Valley Pinot, this isn't your list. Wine Spectator handed them an Award of Excellence in 2025, and the California depth earns it, even if the breadth doesn't push beyond comfort.
With 12-20 pours by the glass, there's enough here to navigate a full dinner without committing to a bottle. Expect the usual suspects — a Cakebread Chardonnay, something from the Cabernet bench seats. The rotation doesn't appear to change much, so don't count on a surprise seasonal pour showing up.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $90
Jordan is consistently one of the best-priced quality Cabs in the steakhouse world — elegant, food-friendly, and never trying too hard. It tends to be the smart play when Silver Oak is lurking right next to it at a significant premium.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot
Everyone at the table is going to order Cabernet, which means the Duckhorn Merlot gets overlooked constantly. That's a mistake — it's a genuinely serious wine that holds its own with red meat and usually comes in at a lower price point than the Cab heavyweights on the same list.
Opus One
It's Opus One at a steakhouse, which means you're paying a serious markup on top of an already expensive bottle for the privilege of saying you ordered Opus One. The wine is legitimately great, but the value equation at this type of venue rarely makes sense — the Jordan or Stag's Leap drink nearly as well for a fraction of the damage.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail
Counterintuitive, but Stag's Leap runs leaner and more structured than your typical steakhouse Cab — less jammy, more restrained — which means it doesn't bulldoze delicate shrimp the way Caymus might. Start there before your steak arrives and you'll understand why this winery has been winning since 1976.
The Bottom Line
The Vermilion Club isn't trying to reinvent the steakhouse wine list, and it doesn't need to — the California depth is real, the execution is consistent, and it delivers exactly what a power-lunch crowd in the Financial District wants. Just know what you're walking into: this is Cab country, the markups are steakhouse-standard steep, and adventurous wine drinkers should calibrate expectations accordingly.
North End · Boston · Italian, Steakhouse
A broad list with 29 glass pours, Italian and American bottle sections, and a From the Vault section that goes well into four figures. Start with the 2021 Mauro Molino Barolo at $26 a glass or the Batasiolo Gavi di Gavi at $15, and confirm vintages, since the list says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Back Bay · Boston · Seafood
A 12-page wine book that runs from $12 glasses to a $945 Opus One, with six- and nine-ounce pours for the still wines by the glass. Start with the $12 six-ounce Foral Alvarinho, or order the $59 Sur Lie Muscadet by the bottle, and confirm vintages before you go. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Back Bay · Boston · Contemporary Italian
An Italian-led list with bottles into the thousands and a glass page that gives you a way in. Order the $33 Giacosa Fratelli Barolo 2019 by the glass, or step up to a Coravin pour like the $54 Patrizia Cencioni Brunello di Montalcino 2018, and confirm prices before you go. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Fenway · Boston · French, Italian
A French-led list with a short glass sheet and a bottle list that runs region by region through Burgundy. Order the Chanteleuserie Bourgueil (15) by the glass, or the Leflaive Bourgogne (258) if you want white Burgundy, and confirm vintages, since the glass sheet is undated and the bottle list is printed 08.12.26. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
Back Bay · Boston · Seafood, Steakhouse
A beverage book that covers a lot more than California: 19 glass pours up front, then Napa, Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Rhône and Piedmont behind them. If you are spending, look at the Kistler Les Noisetiers Chardonnay at $175; if you are not, the Zlatan Otok Plavac Mali is the lowest-priced full bottle at $39. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks list, not service, storage or markups.
North End · Boston · Italian
A long, Italian-heavy list that starts with ordinary-priced pairs and climbs into four-figure Vault bottles. Start with the 14/56 Gavi di Gavi, or the 18/72 Ferrari Brut if you want bubbles, and ask which number is the glass price. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
East Village · New York · American Steakhouse
A compact glass list at a beef-focused restaurant: 11 pours from $19 to $39 across France, Italy, Germany and California. Start with the $24 Domaine Perraud Chardonnay, or the $30 Signorello 'Edge' Cabernet if you're ordering steak, and confirm current pours because the page isn't dated. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
Midtown · New York · American Steakhouse
A 37-wine glass list, with Napa Cabernet and red blends at the top of the Sommelier Selections. Start with the Terrazas Malbec (6 oz. $16) or the Musar "Jeune Rouge" (6 oz. $18), and pour the Shafer "TD-9" with your steak. The page shows no bottle list and no date, so confirm what is available. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
Magnificent Mile · Chicago · American Steakhouse
A long list with a lot of price headroom: bottles run from $50 to $8,000, so set your ceiling before you open it. For a glass, start with the Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon at 26/120 or the Reverdy Sancerre at 25/118, and for a cheaper bottle go to the $50 Cune Crianza. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
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