Ruth's Chris Steak House Chattanooga
Napa Hits, Corporate Playbook, Zero Surprises
Downtown · Chattanooga · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 5, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You walk into Ruth's Chris Chattanooga — tucked inside an Embassy Suites, which tells you something — and the wine list reads exactly like you'd expect from a national steakhouse chain that has done its homework on what expense-account diners want to see. Caymus, Duckhorn, The Prisoner: it's a greatest-hits album you've heard before. Nothing offensive, nothing that's going to make you lean across the table and say 'wait, have you tried this.'
Selection Deep Dive
The list plants its flag squarely in Napa Valley and doesn't wander far. Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Fay and SLV Cabernets anchor the prestige end, and Duckhorn's Merlot and Cabernet give the mid-tier some legitimacy. Orin Swift and The Prisoner are doing their usual crowd-pleasing blend work for anyone who wants something approachable but still sounds interesting. Champagne gets a nod via Moët & Chandon, which is fine — dependable, recognizable, exactly what a corporate steakhouse stocks. What you won't find: Burgundy depth, anything from the Southern Hemisphere, a Spanish Tempranillo, or any producer you haven't already seen on a Delta Sky Club menu.
By the Glass
We don't have an exact count on the glass pour program, but Ruth's Chris corporate typically runs a tidy BTG selection anchored to the same Napa-heavy producers on the bottle list. Expect Duckhorn and Caymus to make an appearance by the glass, which is serviceable if unsurprising. Rotation is minimal — this is a set-and-forget program, not a place that's swapping in something from the Rhône to keep you on your toes.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot — null
We can't pin a price without confirmed menu data, but Duckhorn Merlot is consistently the most honest bottle on lists like this — a genuinely well-made wine from a house that knows what it's doing, without the Caymus premium you're paying for the label cachet. If you're splitting a bottle at a steakhouse, this is the move.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Fay Cabernet Sauvignon
Most tables here are reaching for Caymus on autopilot. Stag's Leap Fay is a more structured, vineyard-specific Napa Cab with actual finesse — it's the kind of bottle that rewards attention rather than just delivering weight and oak. Most people at a steakhouse skip right past it, and that's a mistake.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, and it's priced accordingly everywhere. At a steakhouse with chain-level markups, you're paying a significant premium for a wine that's become more about the name than the glass. The quality is fine — but the value is not. Spend ten dollars more on the Stag's Leap or ten dollars less on the Duckhorn.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars SLV Cabernet Sauvignon + USDA Prime Ribeye
SLV has the structure and dark fruit density to stand up to Ruth's Chris's signature sizzling butter-finished ribeye without getting steamrolled by it. The tannins do the work that you need them to do, and the wine has enough complexity to still taste like something after the first rich bite.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Ruth's Chris Chattanooga is exactly what it says on the tin: a polished corporate steakhouse with a wine list designed for people who want familiar names and don't want to think too hard. Send a friend here for a reliable, well-executed steak night — just tell them to order the Duckhorn, not the Caymus.
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