Washington Prime

The wine list at Washington Prime lands with the kind of confidence you'd expect from a place that earned a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in its first year of eligibility. Three hundred to five hundred bottles, a strong California spine, and serious Italian representation — this is not a list assembled by someone who just Googled 'popular wines.' It signals immediately that wine is a priority here, not an afterthought.

The California section is the obvious heart of this list — Caymus, Silver Oak, Stag's Leap, Duckhorn, Jordan, Far Niente, and Kistler are all accounted for, which means every Cab-loving steakhouse regular will find their comfort zone fast. Italy holds its own with genuine heavyweights: Sassicaia, Tignanello, Antinori, and Gaja Barbaresco give the list real depth and credibility beyond the Napa hits. The price ceiling climbs into Opus One territory, so there's room to splurge if the occasion calls for it. What's less clear from the list is whether there's meaningful representation outside these two regions — for guests looking to venture into Burgundy, Rhône, or even domestic Pinot, the pickings may be thinner.

With 20 to 35 options by the glass, Washington Prime is doing more work here than most Connecticut steakhouses bother with. That's enough pours to give a table of four different wines through multiple courses without anyone repeating. We'd love to know whether the glass program rotates with any intention or just runs the hits on loop, but the sheer count suggests there's something worth exploring beyond the obvious Cab pour.