Memphis's Best Wine Excuse to Dress Up
Downtown · Memphis · American · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Wine Cellar at Flight Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walking into Flight's wine cellar feels intentional in a way most Memphis dining rooms don't — the space earns its name. The list lands in front of you with some real weight to it, and the presence of a sommelier on staff signals that someone here actually cares. This isn't a binder of Kendall-Jackson and hope.
Two to four hundred selections with a clear California backbone — Ridge Monte Bello, Jordan Alexander Valley Cab, Caymus Napa — tells you exactly who this list is trying to please: the confident American red drinker who knows what they like and doesn't want a lecture. France and the Pacific Northwest round things out, though neither region gets as much love as California. There's depth here, but it leans heavily on crowd-pleasing names rather than taking swings on lesser-known producers. If you're hunting for a grower Champagne or a left-field Jura selection, you'll probably come up short.
Twenty to thirty-five by-the-glass options is a genuinely strong program — that's enough to drink your way through a few courses without repeating yourself. We'd want to see more rotation to keep it interesting on a second or third visit, but for a single night out, you're covered. The presence of names like Meiomi Pinot Noir on the pour list suggests the glass program skews toward approachability over adventure.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley — null
Jordan consistently overdelivers for the name recognition it carries — structured, food-friendly, and a known quantity that restaurants often price more fairly than flashier Napa bottles. Next to Monte Bello and Caymus on this list, it's the move if you want Cab without sticker shock.
Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon
Monte Bello is one of California's most serious wines and still gets overlooked by diners who default to Caymus. If it's on this list, it's the most intellectually interesting bottle in the California Cab section — more age-worthy, more complex, and proof that the Santa Cruz Mountains can hang with Napa at the top tier.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
Meiomi is a $15 grocery store bottle. On a list with real ambition elsewhere, paying restaurant markup for something you can grab at Kroger on the way home is a waste of the room you're sitting in.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley + Boursin Stuffed Filet
A classic for a reason — the cedar and dark fruit in Jordan's Cab cuts through the richness of the stuffed filet while the wine's softer tannins don't bulldoze the herby Boursin filling. It's the kind of pairing that makes you feel like you planned it.
The Bottom Line
Flight's wine cellar is the most serious wine program on South Main, full stop — a knowledgeable staff, proper storage, and real glassware put it ahead of most of Memphis. The pricing leans steep and the list plays it safe with California heavyweights, but if you want a reliable, well-executed wine experience in a room that actually respects the bottle, this is your spot.
Midtown · Memphis · Steak House
Porch and Parlor is a reliable Southern steakhouse wine list that plays to its crowd — if you love California Cabernet with your dry-aged beef, you're in the right place. It won't challenge you, but it'll take care of you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Memphis · Memphis · American
Flight is the most wine-serious restaurant in downtown Memphis, and it earns that title without being stuffy about it. If you want California confidence with a sommelier who actually knows the list, this is your spot.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Memphis · Memphis · American, French
Chez Philippe is the wine list of a well-run fine dining institution that has been doing this right for 30 years — not a revelation, but reliably good and properly stored in a room that knows how to use it. Send a friend here if they want California Cab with a French menu inside one of Memphis's great hotels; don't send them if they're looking for anything off the beaten path.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Memphis · Memphis · Steak House
Char is a dependable, well-executed steakhouse wine list that earned its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence by doing the classics right — but it's not trying to surprise you, and it won't. Send a friend here for a special occasion Cab and a steak; just don't expect the list to spark any new obsessions.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Cooper-Young · Memphis · Italian
Bari is the kind of Italian wine program Memphis deserves more of — specific, serious, and fairly priced for what you're getting. If you're anywhere near Cooper-Young and want to drink real Italian wine with real Italian food, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Unknown · Memphis · Bistro
Hu. Bistro isn't trying to be a wine destination, but its by-the-glass list is priced fairly and built with more care than you'd expect from a hotel rooftop. If you're in Memphis and want a decent glass without getting gouged for the privilege, this works.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Eagle Ranch · Vail · American
The Wild Sage is your dependable neighborhood spot in Eagle Ranch — the wine list won't blow your mind, but it won't embarrass you at dinner either. Watch the markups on the top-shelf Napa bottles and stick to the mid-range, and you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Traverse City · American
Warehouse Kitchen + Cork won't win any awards for depth or ambition, but it plays its hand honestly — fair prices, solid local representation, and a full by-the-glass program that respects your wallet. If you're in Traverse City and want a glass of something local with a water view, this works.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Truckee · Truckee · American
Sunnyside is a casual lodge restaurant wearing a serious wine list under its flannel — the markup is steep and it won't win any awards for staff expertise, but the producer lineup is legitimately impressive for where you're sitting. If you're already at the lake, this is absolutely worth ordering a real bottle.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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