Pocono Mountains steak night done right
Cresco · Cresco · American, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed May 1, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at The Frogtown Chophouse reads exactly like what you'd want from a Pocono Mountains steakhouse — California heavy, Italy represented, no surprises but no embarrassments either. It's a list built to drink with red meat, and it wears that intention proudly. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2019 tells you this isn't an afterthought.
The list runs 80–120 bottles and leans hard into California Cabernet and Italian reds, which is exactly right for a chophouse menu anchored by a 16-ounce porterhouse. You've got the expected heavy-hitters — Caymus, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, Jordan, Stag's Leap — alongside a genuinely respectable Italian section featuring Gaja Barbaresco, Antinori Tignanello, and Banfi Brunello di Montalcino. That Italian depth is what earns the Wine Spectator nod and keeps this list from feeling like a generic steakhouse cookie-cutter. The gaps are real, though: no meaningful Burgundy, no Rhône, and the Southern Hemisphere is essentially absent.
Ten to sixteen options by the glass with a price range of $10–$18 is a reasonable spread for this setting. Meiomi Pinot Noir will do predictable volume at the lower end, but there's enough range to get a proper glass of something interesting if you ask. The program doesn't rotate aggressively — don't expect a surprise pour from week to week.
Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico — $35–$45
Riserva Ducale is one of the most consistent, food-friendly wines in the $35–$45 bottle range at a steakhouse. It delivers genuine Sangiovese character — dried cherry, tobacco, firm acidity — at a price that feels honest against this menu.
Gaja Barbaresco
Most tables here are ordering Cabernet without a second thought, which means the Gaja Barbaresco sits underordered and under-appreciated. It's one of the great names in Italian wine, and if the markup is as fair as the rest of the list, this is a serious bottle at a non-Manhattan price.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
Meiomi is fine for what it is — a soft, fruit-forward crowd-pleaser — but at steakhouse glass-pour prices, you're overpaying for something you could grab at a grocery store for $15. Step up to anything else on this list.
Antinori Tignanello + 16-ounce porterhouse
Tignanello is a Super Tuscan built from Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc — structured, earthy, and cut with enough acidity to handle the fat of a porterhouse without the wine turning into a slab of fruit. It's the most interesting bottle on the list matched with the most impressive thing on the menu.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Frogtown Chophouse isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's doing the job well — fair prices, solid Italian depth, and the right bottles for steak country. If you're heading to the Poconos and want a proper red with your beef, you won't be disappointed.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.