California Classics Done Right Up North
Bay Harbor · American · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 16, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Vintage Chophouse | Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list reads like a greatest hits of California wine — Caymus, Silver Oak, Opus One, Far Niente — and if that sounds like your idea of a good time, you're in the right place. There's a stateliness to this wine program that matches the room: dark wood, leather, the vibe of a steakhouse that takes itself seriously. Wine Spectator handed them an Award of Excellence in 2023, and you can see why.
The list runs 150-250 bottles deep with a clear California-first identity — Napa Cab is the star of this show, and producers like Stag's Leap, Jordan, Duckhorn, and Silver Oak anchor it with confidence. Sommelier Shawn Peterson keeps things well-curated, but don't come looking for left-field picks: Burgundy, Rhône, and Southern Hemisphere options are light at best. Opus One on the list signals this is a place for milestone dinners and expense accounts as much as casual Tuesday pours. If your world revolves around Napa Valley, this list is essentially tailor-made for you.
With 12-20 options by the glass, there's enough to work with across a full meal — expect solid representation from California whites and reds rather than adventurous globe-trotting. Rombauer Chardonnay almost certainly anchors the white side, which is either exciting or predictable depending on your relationship with that wine. The glass program doesn't rotate aggressively, but what's there is dependable.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $80
Jordan consistently punches above its retail price in restaurant settings — it's elegant, food-friendly, and doesn't demand a second mortgage the way its neighbors on this list do. At a steakhouse in northern Michigan, this is the move.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot
Everyone on this list is reaching for the Cabernet, and that's exactly why you should order the Duckhorn Merlot. It's one of the benchmark Napa Merlots alive, routinely overlooked in a Cab-dominated room, and it's the kind of bottle that quietly wins the table.
Opus One
Opus One is a great wine — but at a resort steakhouse in Michigan, you're paying a premium on top of an already steep retail price. Unless someone else is signing the check, the money is better spent on two bottles of something equally thrilling at half the price.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Blackened Cauliflower Steak
The charred, smoky crust on the cauliflower needs a wine with enough structure to stand up to it without bulldozing the plate. Stag's Leap brings that signature Napa elegance — firm tannins, ripe dark fruit — without going full-throttle, which lets the dish breathe.
The Bottom Line
Vintage Chophouse is exactly what it promises: a polished, California-focused wine program in a handsome steakhouse on the shores of Lake Michigan. It won't surprise you, but it will take care of you — and Shawn Peterson knows the list well enough to steer you right.
· Cumming, GA · American
The real headline here is Friday: half-price bottles under $250, which is a legitimately good deal in any zip code. Add a sommelier in a neighborhood grill context and Tin Cup earns a look that most Cumming restaurants don't. We'd go in on a Friday, ask for a recommendation, and let the staff do their job — that's what they're there for.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Acceptable
· Wichita · American
Dave & Buster's Wichita is not a wine destination — and the list makes no attempt to pretend otherwise. Fourteen labels of grocery-store standbys, no pricing transparency, and a venue where the primary business is flashing screens and redemption tickets means the wine program is essentially decorative. Order the cocktail, feed the machine, save the bottle for literally anywhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Augusta Road · Greenville · American
A 51-wine list: 20 white and sparkling, 31 red, with 14 wines posted as two-price pairs like 10/40 and the rest at a single price up to 140. Start with the 10/40 Alta Vista Malbec, or the Musset-Roullier Chenin Blanc at 55 if you want the list's only Chenin Blanc, and ask what the pairs mean before you order. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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