Solid steakhouse list, one eyebrow-raising markup
Downtown · Winston Salem · Upscale American Steak and Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 25, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The Downtown Grille looks the part — polished room, white tablecloths, the kind of place where you expect a serious wine list to match the $45 ribeye. What you actually get is a respectable but predictable selection that leans hard into crowd-pleasing California names and doesn't stray far from the mainstream. It's fine. It's just not adventurous.
The list skews American with a California center of gravity — Silver Oak showing up as a featured bottle at curated dinners tells you exactly where the restaurant's head is at. There's a nod to Argentina via Zuccardi Malbec, and the occasional wine dinner spotlights North Carolina's own Biltmore, which is a nice local touch even if Biltmore rarely makes wine enthusiasts lose their minds. Expect recognizable labels that sell themselves, not a list designed to make you discover something new. The regional gaps are real — no meaningful European depth is apparent, and if you came hoping for Burgundy or Barolo, lower your expectations now.
Glass pours start at $10 during promotional pricing, which gives you an accessible entry point in an otherwise upscale setting. The full by-the-glass program details aren't published prominently, which usually means the rotation is modest and the list doesn't change much. What's there gets the job done for a steakhouse night out, but don't expect anything that'll make you put down your phone and pay attention.
Zuccardi Malbec — Unknown — confirm on-site
Zuccardi is one of Argentina's most respected Malbec producers, making wine in Mendoza's Valle de Uco at altitude. If this is priced reasonably, it's the most food-serious bottle on a list otherwise full of safe choices — and it'll hold its own against any red meat on the menu.
Biltmore Estate Wine
Most people order this as a novelty and promptly forget about it, but featuring a North Carolina wine at a wine dinner shows the kitchen takes it seriously. Biltmore's reds have improved considerably in recent years — if they're pouring one of the estate's Cabernet-based bottles, it's worth a try for the story and the surprise.
Provençal Dry Rosé
A 167% markup on a $15 retail rosé — landing at $40 on the menu — is aggressive for a wine that doesn't require a special occasion or a cellar. There are plenty of rosés at this price point in any wine shop, and you're not getting anything rare or allocations-only here. Order something else.
Zuccardi Malbec + Prime Steak
High-altitude Malbec brings dark fruit, firm tannins, and enough acidity to cut through the fat on a prime cut. Zuccardi in particular runs more structured and serious than your average Malbec — it's built for red meat and earns its place next to whatever the kitchen is putting on the grill.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Downtown Grille is a reliable upscale night out in Winston-Salem with a wine list that matches the room — safe, polished, and built for people who already know what they like. Watch the rosé markup, lean into the Zuccardi, and you'll leave happy.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.