California's Greatest Hits, Steak Edition
Columbia · Columbia · Steak house · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 23, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Halls Chophouse reads like a California Cabernet hall of fame — Caymus, Silver Oak, Opus One, Stag's Leap all lined up like old friends. It's polished, intentional, and built for exactly the kind of person ordering a dry-aged ribeye on an expense account. No surprises, but no apologies either.
With 300-400 selections, this isn't a small list — but calling it deep would be generous. The California focus is tight and deliberate, leaning hard on the Napa Valley establishment: Jordan, Far Niente, Chateau Montelena, Duckhorn. If you're hunting for natural wine detours, Burgundy deep cuts, or anything south of the equator, you're in the wrong room. What they do, they do confidently — this list exists to complement a prime ribeye, and it does exactly that.
Twenty to thirty by-the-glass options is genuinely solid for a steakhouse of this caliber, and sommelier Samuel Ferranti keeps the pours quality-controlled. Don't expect much adventurousness in the glass selections — you're getting the same California-centric lineup in smaller format. Still, having that many options means you're not stuck with two mediocre Cabs while your table argues over a bottle.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $90
Jordan is the sleeper pick on a list full of bigger names — refined, food-friendly, and consistently overperforms relative to its price when the alternatives are Opus One at triple the cost.
Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon
Most tables go straight for Caymus or Silver Oak out of habit, sleeping on Montelena — a wine with actual history behind it (yes, that Paris tasting) and structure that holds up beautifully against dry-aged beef.
Opus One
It's a beautiful wine, but restaurant markup on Opus One is brutal across the industry — you're paying a significant premium just for the name recognition. Save it for a bottle shop and put that money into two excellent alternatives from this same list.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Prime dry-aged ribeye
Stag's Leap brings elegant tannin structure and dark fruit that cuts through the ribeye's fat without bullying the meat — it's the rare Napa Cab that enhances the steak rather than competing with it.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Halls Chophouse is doing exactly what a great steakhouse wine program should do — curated California heavyweights, a knowledgeable sommelier, and enough glass pours to keep everyone at the table happy. Just know you're paying steakhouse prices, and order accordingly.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.