Black & Blue Steak and Crab

The wine list at Black & Blue reads exactly like you'd expect from an upscale surf-and-turf spot in downtown Buffalo — Caymus up front, Rombauer not far behind, and a confident lean into California power players. It's not trying to surprise you, and it doesn't. What it does is deliver a safe, recognizable lineup that pairs with a bone-in ribeye without anyone at the table raising an eyebrow.

The list runs 75 to 120 bottles deep, which sounds impressive until you realize a significant chunk of that real estate is occupied by the usual suspects: Napa Cabs, big Chardonnays, and crowd-friendly Merlots. Jordan's Alexander Valley Cab and Duckhorn's Napa Merlot anchor the red side with credibility, while Rombauer holds down Chardonnay duty the way it does on roughly half of all American steakhouse lists. There's a nod to multiple regions, but don't come here hunting for Beaujolais producers or Sicilian reds — this list was built for steak people, by steak people. The gaps in old-world depth are real, but if California is your comfort zone, you'll be fine.

With 12 to 18 by-the-glass options, there's enough variety to keep the table happy without anyone ordering a bottle before they're ready. The pours lean predictably toward the same California-forward producers that anchor the bottle list, so don't expect any curveballs. What you can expect is consistency — these are wines that staff has poured a thousand times and knows how to recommend.