The Hollywood Brown Derby
Old Hollywood Glamour, Solid Pours Included
Downtown Albany · Albany · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 23, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at The Hollywood Brown Derby arrives looking like it was designed to reassure, not challenge. Familiar California labels, a few Italian standbys, and some international fill-ins — it's the kind of list that won't confuse your uncle but won't excite your wine-nerd friend either. That said, the pricing is noticeably reasonable for a downtown steakhouse, which earns some goodwill right away.
Selection Deep Dive
The list spans California, Italy, France, Australia, Chile, and Argentina, but California is clearly running the show here. You'll find crowd-pleasers like Honig Sauvignon Blanc and Chappellet Mountain Cuvée Cabernet anchoring the domestic side, while Sartori Pinot Grigio and Castello Banfi Brunello hold down the Italian flank. The Brunello is a legitimate bottle in the lineup — it's not a common sight on Albany steakhouse lists — but the overall selection leans heavily toward safe, recognizable names rather than anything adventurous. There are no real deep dives into Burgundy, Rhône, or anything that would make a serious wine drinker linger over the list.
By the Glass
Ten-plus options by the glass with a price range of $10 to $29 gives you real room to explore without committing to a bottle. The Hitching Post Cork Dancer Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara is the most interesting pour on the glass list — a label with genuine credibility that punches above its weight class. The program feels static though; there's no sense that the glass list rotates with any intention or seasonality.
Jarvis Finch Hollow Chardonnay Napa — $28
At $28 a glass against a $40 retail price, this is one of the tighter markups on the list. Jarvis is a serious Napa producer — cave-aged, estate fruit, the real deal — and getting it at this price in a downtown steakhouse is a genuine win.
Inniskillin Vidal Icewine, Okanagan Valley
Most people scroll past the dessert wine section without a second look, and that's a mistake here. Inniskillin is one of the benchmark names in Canadian icewine, and the Okanagan Vidal is intensely sweet without being cloying. Most diners at a steakhouse will never order it, which just means more for the rest of us.
Sartori Pinot Grigio, Veneto
Nothing wrong with Sartori as a producer, but Pinot Grigio at steakhouse markups is rarely the move. This is a grocery-store-tier bottle that costs you convenience pricing without the convenience. Order the Honig Sauvignon Blanc instead and put the difference toward dessert.
Chappellet Mountain Cuvée Cabernet, Napa + Prime Rib
Mountain Cuvée is built for exactly this — it's a structured, tannic Napa Cab that needs something fatty and rich to show its best side. Prime rib delivers. The fat softens the tannins, the wine cuts through the richness, and suddenly you're having a very good evening in Albany.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Hollywood Brown Derby won't blow any wine minds, but it prices fairly, stocks a few genuine bottles worth ordering, and doesn't embarrass itself. Send a friend here for a steakhouse dinner and tell them to skip the Pinot Grigio.
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