Big Steaks, Bigger Markups, Forgettable List
Point West · Sacramento · Upscale American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 22, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Ruth's Chris Sacramento reads exactly like you'd expect from a corporate steakhouse — safe, familiar, and designed for people who want a name they recognize rather than a wine that surprises them. Every label here has been in rotation at expense-account dinners for the last two decades. It's not offensive, but it's not trying either.
The 150-plus label list leans hard into California — Napa Cabs, Sonoma Chards, a little Pinot Noir — with token representation from France and New Zealand to check the international box. You'll find Rombauer, Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, and Cakebread exactly where you'd expect them to be: anchoring a list built to upsell rather than educate. There's nothing wrong with any of these wines individually, but when the entire list reads like the top-sellers rack at a BevMo, it's hard to get excited. Adventurous drinkers looking for Barolo, grower Champagne, or anything from the Southern Hemisphere that isn't Kim Crawford will come up empty.
Around 20 options by the glass, running $12 to $22, which sounds reasonable until you realize you're pouring Decoy Cabernet and La Crema Pinot Noir — wines that retail for $18–$22 a bottle. The happy hour program (Sizzle, Swizzle, Swirl) does offer discounts on select pours in the bar, but it's not a true half-price deal and the selection is curated rather than the full glass menu. Rotation appears minimal — this is a set-it-and-forget-it program.
J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles — $45
If pricing holds near the entry level, Seven Oaks is the lowest-drama, highest-satisfaction Cab on the list — a solid Paso Robles bottle that holds its own next to a ribeye without torching your wallet the way Caymus will.
La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Most tables here are ordering Cabs, which means the Pinot Noir gets overlooked. La Crema's Sonoma Coast bottling is a genuine crowd-pleaser with enough brightness and red fruit to cut through the richness of the sizzling sides without the punishing markup attached to the bigger names on this list.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
At $210 a bottle against a $90 retail price, you're paying a 133% markup for a wine that's become more marketing brand than terroir story. It's not a bad wine, but you can do better on this same list for half the price.
Stags' Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley + USDA Prime Filet
Stags' Leap has the structure to stand up to a butter-finished filet without overwhelming it — it's a classically Napa Cab with enough polish to match the room and enough backbone to make the beef sing.
Daily (bar hours) — Sizzle, Swizzle, Swirl happy hour in the bar features select discounted glasses and bottle features — not a true half-price program and limited to bar seating.
❌ The Bottom Line
Ruth's Chris Sacramento is a reliable steakhouse with an unreliable wine value proposition — the food earns its reputation, but the list exists to maximize check averages, not drinking pleasure. Come for the filet, skip the $210 Caymus, and order accordingly.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.