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California

Best Wine Lists in California

1,208 honest restaurant wine list reviews across 122 cities in California.

Latest California reviews

Fogo de Chão

· Los Angeles · Brazilian Steakhouse

The Reliable

Fogo de Chão's wine list isn't trying to be a destination — it's trying to support a meat-forward meal without emptying your wallet, and it largely succeeds. The South American focus makes geographic sense, the pricing is fair for LA, and there are a few genuinely good bottles hiding in a otherwise safe list. If you're going for the full churrasco experience, grab the Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc or the Catena Alta Chardonnay and let the gauchos do the rest.

Variety

Plays It Safe

Markup

Fair

Glassware

Basic Stemmed

Staff

Rotating Cast

Specials

Set & Forget

Storage

Acceptable

Fogo de Chão

· San Diego · Brazilian Steakhouse

The Reliable

Fogo de Chão San Diego isn't trying to win a wine award, and it doesn't need to — the mission is keeping 300 people happy while gauchos walk around with swords of meat. What they've built is a functional, fairly priced by-the-glass program with enough South American character to feel intentional. If you're here for the churrasco, order the Catena Catena Malbec at $13/glass and call it a win.

Variety

Crowd Pleasers

Markup

Fair

Glassware

Basic Stemmed

Staff

Rotating Cast

Specials

Active Program

Storage

Acceptable

Fogo de Chão

· Pasadena · Brazilian Steakhouse

The Reliable

Fogo de Chão Pasadena isn't where you go to geek out over wine, but the by-the-glass breadth is genuinely useful for a group with mixed tastes and the South American anchor makes sense with the menu. Markups lean steep once you move past the $10 entry tier, so be selective. If you're here for the beef, grab the Alamos Malbec or the Zuccardi Jorjão at $17.75/glass and don't overthink it.

Variety

Crowd Pleasers

Markup

Steep

Glassware

Basic Stemmed

Staff

Rotating Cast

Specials

Set & Forget

Storage

Acceptable

Fogo de Chão

· Irvine · Brazilian churrasco (rodizio steakhouse)

The Reliable
🍷Half-Price Monday–Thursdays

The real headline here is the Monday–Thursday deal: half-price South American bottles under $150, available in both the dining room and bar. That's a legitimately good incentive to plan your Fogo visit mid-week. The wine list isn't pushing any boundaries, but at half-price it doesn't need to — grab something from Argentina, let the gaucho do his thing at the table, and call it a win.

Variety

Plays It Safe

Markup

Fair

Glassware

Basic Stemmed

Staff

Willing but Green

Specials

Active Program

Storage

Acceptable

Fogo de Chão

· Thousand Oaks · Brazilian Steakhouse

The Reliable

Fogo de Chão Thousand Oaks isn't a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — but the by-the-glass program is broader than you'd expect, pricing is fair for the format, and the Catena Malbec holds its own against a plate of picanha. If you're coming for wine, look elsewhere. If you're coming for meat and want a decent glass to go with it, you'll be fine.

Variety

Crowd Pleasers

Markup

Fair

Glassware

Basic Stemmed

Staff

Rotating Cast

Specials

Set & Forget

Storage

Acceptable

Stake Chophouse & Bar

· San Diego · Steakhouse

The Lazy List

Six wines at a chophouse is a wine program in name only. The Bordeaux-leaning selections suggest someone has taste, but with no pricing, no confirmed glass pours, and a list that could fit on a cocktail napkin, there's not enough here to send a friend for the wine experience. Order your steak, pick whatever red sounds least risky, and manage your expectations accordingly.

Variety

Plays It Safe

Markup

Steep

Glassware

Basic Stemmed

Staff

Rotating Cast

Specials

Set & Forget

Storage

Acceptable

Handline

· Healdsburg · California Seafood

The Wild Card

Handline earns its Wild Card badge not because the wine list is extraordinary on paper, but because the combination — California seafood, counter service, string lights, Sonoma-focused wine — shouldn't work this well and somehow does. If you're road-tripping through wine country and want a low-pressure lunch with local pours and grilled oysters, this is exactly the kind of detour worth making. Just go in knowing the wine list is supporting cast, not the headline act.

Variety

Small but Thoughtful

Markup

Fair

Glassware

Basic Stemmed

Staff

Willing but Green

Specials

Set & Forget

Storage

Acceptable

Enoteca Adriano

· San Diego · Italian

The Lazy List

An 'enoteca' with five wines is a bit like a steakhouse with one cut. The Italian-focused selection is at least on-theme, and the Aglianico shows someone made at least one interesting call — but five bottles, no whites, and no visible by-the-glass program is hard to defend under any concept, let alone this one. If wine matters to your night out, look elsewhere in San Diego.

Variety

Grocery Store

Markup

Steep

Glassware

Basic Stemmed

Staff

Rotating Cast

Specials

Set & Forget

Storage

Acceptable

The Catch

· Anaheim · Seafood / Steak

The Reliable

The Catch is a solid spot to drink wine with dinner without thinking too hard about it — the West Coast focus plays well with a menu built around Chilean sea bass and prime beef. If you're coming for the food and the atmosphere near Angel Stadium, the wine list won't let you down; just don't come expecting discovery or bargains.

Variety

Crowd Pleasers

Markup

Steep

Glassware

Basic Stemmed

Staff

Rotating Cast

Specials

Set & Forget

Storage

Acceptable

VIN by the Sea

· Carmel By The Sea · Wine Bar & Contemporary American

The Wild Card

VIN by the Sea is a Champagne and sparkling wine bar wearing a contemporary American restaurant's jacket — and it's not trying to hide it. If you care about grower Champagne, blanc de blancs depth, and having genuine options by the glass, this is one of the better-stocked spots on the Monterey Peninsula. Pricing runs steep across the board, but the 55-glass program gives you room to find your level. Come for the bubbles, explore the Chablis, and budget accordingly.

Variety

Small but Thoughtful

Markup

Steep

Glassware

Basic Stemmed

Staff

Rotating Cast

Specials

Set & Forget

Storage

Acceptable

Momosan Ramen & Sake

· San Jose · Japanese Ramen

The Wild Card

Momosan is not a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but the list it does offer is priced fairly and chosen with more care than most ramen spots bother with. Come for the sake program, but if you want a glass of wine with your bowl, the Brunel Grenache or the Pecorino will do you right. Don't come here expecting depth; do come here expecting a decent pour at a fair price.

Variety

Small but Thoughtful

Markup

Fair

Glassware

Basic Stemmed

Staff

Rotating Cast

Specials

Set & Forget

Storage

Acceptable

Carolina's Italian Restaurant

· Anaheim · Italian

The Lazy List

This is not a wine destination. Carolina's Italian clearly leads with food and treats wine as an afterthought — there's no Italian bottle, no varietal diversity, and no sign anyone consulted a wine list when building this program. If you want sangria at a low price point, you're covered. If you want wine with your Italian dinner, bring your own or drink water.

Variety

Grocery Store

Markup

Steal

Glassware

Basic Stemmed

Staff

MIA

Specials

Set & Forget

Storage

Acceptable

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California wine list reviews, A–Z (first 1,000; see city pages for all)

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