Napa's Greatest Hits, Done Right
Downtown · Rochester · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 24, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Rochester Chop House announces itself the way a steakhouse should — with confidence and a clear agenda. California Cabs up front, Bordeaux lurking in the wings, and enough Burgundy to keep things honest. It's a list built for the occasion, not for exploration.
The heavy lifting here is done by Napa Valley and Sonoma, with flagship names like Silver Oak, Far Niente, Opus One, Stag's Leap Cask 23, and Chateau Montelena anchoring the list. Bordeaux and Burgundy show up as supporting cast — present enough to be taken seriously, not deep enough to get lost in. There's a nod to local Finger Lakes producers, which earns real points and adds a welcome wrinkle to an otherwise predictable steakhouse playbook. Gaps exist in Southern Hemisphere wines and anything remotely adventurous, but for the audience this restaurant is serving, that's probably the right call.
With 15 to 25 options by the glass, there's enough range to drink well without committing to a bottle — a solid count for a room that skews toward business dinners and anniversaries. We'd love more rotation and a Finger Lakes pour featured prominently on the glass list, but the depth suggests the sommelier isn't just phoning it in.
Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon — null
The wine that beat the French at their own game in 1976 still earns its keep. At a steakhouse where markups are a given, Montelena tends to offer more restraint relative to the sheer brand premium of Opus One — you get a serious, age-worthy Napa Cab without paying the trophy-wine tax.
Finger Lakes selection
Most tables at a room like this are going straight for the Napa big guns, which means the local Finger Lakes pour often gets ignored. That's a mistake. The region's Rieslings and increasingly credible reds are among the most interesting things on this list — and in a sea of $150+ bottles, they almost certainly represent the best price-to-interest ratio in the building.
Opus One
It's spectacular wine. It's also the most marked-up bottle on every list it appears on, everywhere, always. You're paying for the name as much as what's in the glass. The Stag's Leap Cask 23 or Chateau Montelena will give you more actual drinking pleasure per dollar spent.
Far Niente Chardonnay + Lobster Tail
Far Niente Chardonnay is the kind of full-bodied, oak-kissed California white that was built for exactly this moment — rich, buttery lobster with a wine that matches the weight and leans into the luxury of the whole thing. No delicate French Burg needed here.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Rochester Chop House is a reliable, well-run steakhouse wine program with real sommelier muscle and a list that does exactly what it sets out to do — impress without surprising. Send a client here, order the Montelena, and leave feeling like you made good decisions.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.