Great views, safe bets, Napa on repeat
The Buttes / West Tempe · Tempe · Steakhouse-Lean New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 30, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Top of the Rock’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk in for the view — and honestly, it delivers. The wine list shows up next, and it's exactly what you'd expect at a resort steakhouse: a Greatest Hits of Napa Valley with price tags that remind you this is a Marriott property. Nothing here will surprise you, but nothing will embarrass you either.
The list runs 100 to 150 bottles deep and leans hard into California red country — Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Stag's Leap, Duckhorn. It's a reliable roster, but the word 'eclectic' has never once visited this wine list. Washington State gets a token appearance, and there's a Rombauer Chardonnay for the crowd that treats it like a lifestyle brand. If you want Burgundy, Barolo, or anything with a little dirt under its fingernails, you're ordering the cocktail instead.
The by-the-glass program runs 12 to 20 options and checks the expected boxes — a Chardonnay, a Cab, maybe a Merlot — at $15 to $30 a pour. At those prices, you're paying for the altitude and the canyon views as much as what's in the glass. There's no obvious rotation or curation happening here; this reads like a list that got set and forgot.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $60
If the bottle lands anywhere near the low end of their pricing, Jordan is the move — it's a genuinely food-friendly Cab that doesn't browbeat you with tannins, and it holds its own against a prime cut without costing you next month's rent.
Duckhorn Merlot
Everyone in the room is ordering Cabernet, which means the Duckhorn Merlot gets ignored. That's a mistake. It's a serious, structured wine from a producer that actually cares about Merlot — richer and more interesting than half the Cabs on this list, and likely underordered enough that the staff might actually push a good vintage.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, and at a resort markup it's going to cost you significantly more than retail. It's not a bad wine, but it's a predictable one — and at these prices, you're paying a premium for a label that's become more brand than bottle.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Rack of Lamb
Stag's Leap brings more elegance and restraint than most of the big Napa names on this list — that structure plays exceptionally well against lamb's richness without steamrolling the meat the way a heavier Cab can.
The Bottom Line
Top of the Rock is a safe, predictable wine list dressed up in a genuinely spectacular setting — you're paying a resort premium for Napa's greatest hits, and the view is doing a lot of the heavy lifting. Send a friend here for the scenery and the steak, but tell them to pick their bottle carefully.
· Tempe · New American
Terra Tempe's wine list is the restaurant equivalent of a reliable sedan — gets you where you're going, no drama, reasonable fuel costs. If you're looking for adventure, you won't find it here; if you just want a decent bottle with dinner at a fair price, you're in good hands.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Tempe · Mediterranean / Wine Bar
Salut Kitchen Bar isn't going to make a wine lover's heart race, but it's a perfectly decent place to drink something approachable with Mediterranean food without getting gouged or lectured. Stick to the Naia Verdejo or Yalumba Rosé and you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Tempe · Italian
Vincitorio's has put in real work on this list — 155 labels and 60 by-the-glass options is a serious commitment. It's not a destination wine program, but it's a genuinely solid one that earns your trust more often than it loses it.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Elliot Road · Tempe · Sports Bar / American
Vine Tavern is a sports bar first and a wine destination never — the seven-bottle list exists as a checkbox, not a commitment. Order a beer, order a cocktail, or bring your wine expectations somewhere else entirely.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Tempe · Tempe · American / Neighborhood Bistro
The Hudson is a fine place to eat a burger and drink a beer, but the wine list is on autopilot — familiar labels, steep markups outside of Wednesday's deal, and no evidence that anyone on staff is losing sleep over it. Send a friend here for the food, tell them to drink a cocktail.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Novus / ASU Campus District · Tempe · American Burger & Craft Bar
Eureka! Tempe is a craft beer bar first, a burger spot second, and a wine destination never. Order a local draft, enjoy your Truffle Cheese Fries, and save the wine for a place that's actually trying.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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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