Big Texas Steakhouse, Serious California Cabernet
Houston · Houston · Steak house · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 28, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You walk past a full-size Alamo replica and into one of Houston's most beloved steakhouse institutions — the wine list matches the room's confidence. Three hundred-plus bottles, California through and through, with all the usual suspects lined up like an honor guard. It's not trying to surprise you, and it doesn't need to.
The list is essentially a California Cabernet greatest hits album: Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Stag's Leap, Far Niente, and Opus One all make appearances, which tells you exactly who this list is built for. There's real depth in the Napa Cab category — if you want to drink well in that lane, you'll find plenty of runway. What's missing is any meaningful detour into Burgundy, Rhône, or domestic outliers that might give the list some texture. At 300-400 selections, it's a sizable list, but it feels narrower than the numbers suggest because so much of it rhymes.
Twenty to thirty pours by the glass is a strong showing for a steakhouse, and the $10-$20 range is respectable for the format. Whether the BTG list rotates with intention or just refills the usual suspects is unclear, but having this many options means you can scout the list without committing to a bottle. We'd push staff for their current pours before defaulting to the printed page.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $40s-$50s (bottle)
Jordan consistently punches above its retail price in restaurant settings, and at a steakhouse markup it's often the sanest Napa Cab on the menu — structured, food-friendly, and not screaming for attention the way Caymus does.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot
Everyone at the table is ordering Cab, which means the Duckhorn Merlot gets ignored. That's a mistake — it's plush, well-built, and tends to carry a slightly softer markup than the flagship Cabs. Order it before someone else at the table calls it out.
Opus One
Opus One is a genuinely great wine, but at a steakhouse it's almost always marked up to the point where you're paying a serious premium for the label. The same money drinks better elsewhere on this list, and you're not in a room built to maximize what Opus One is doing.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Prime Rib
Stag's Leap has always been about elegance over power — that restraint plays beautifully against the richness of a prime rib, cutting through the fat without bludgeoning the meat the way a bigger Napa Cab might.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Taste of Texas is a Houston institution that takes its California Cabernet seriously — 30 years of Wine Spectator recognition backs that up. It's not a destination wine list, but if you're here for a steak and want a proper bottle to go with it, you won't leave disappointed.
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