Please help me choose a wine from the list.

Taking my wife to The Ranch tomorrow night and wanted to seek help from all you knowledgeable folks here.
We’re pretty open as to varietal but I anticipate that we’ll be ordering steak as that’s what they’re known for. Please let me know if anything jumps out from the list or if there is any great values to be had. My other option is to bring something and pay the $25 corkage or stick to beer and cocktails. Thanks in advance.

That’s the kind of list I’d expect to see at a pricey steak house here in TX … The items I noticed were fully priced at 2-3x retail, and then some. I’d happily pay the $25 corkage, unless you want to spring for the 2009 Screaming Eagle, which is almost fairly priced right around its current value.

I’d lean towards corkage. That said, a decent spread of wines by the glass if you just want to have a couple of glasses and see whether you remain thirsty - or perhaps leave room for a half bottle of Riesling Auslese for dessert?

Syrah or Rhone with steak…skip the cabs…

I agree that I would skip the cabs, Bordeaux and the pinots for the most part. The wines by the glass are certainly ‘pricey’, but it might be better to have a couple of different glasses than a single bottle of anything.

Also, how much do the two of you normally drink? Would you normally go through a bottle of white and/or rose and a bottle of red with dinner? Less? That would help . . .

Cheers!

$25 corkage

The fact a Hall Napa Cab Regular bottle is $225 is an a joke. I picked this vintage up for $35 a bottle.

2005 Ladera Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain 450
Even worse!!!

+1 and a second corkage bottle !

2007 Scherrer Platt Vineyard is the kind of PN that might show well with good steak, it’s more masculine than feminine and if well cared-for ten years would be peak time for a bright showing. The fruit is sweet from a sunny vintage.

This was ~$75 on release and it’s $110 here.

Thanks for all the responses. The Scherrer looks interesting but since I have a ton of PN in my collection, I’ll probably just bring my own or grab a cocktail and glass of wine.

If I was having a steak and HAD to order a wine I might pick the Turley Cedarville zin. Not a total gouge.

I also might go for the 05 zilliken Rausch auslese for dessert!

I know you have a lot of PN, but the 2008 Domaine Michel Gros, Clos des Réas, Vosne Romanée 1er Cru could be in a good place and it’s <2x current market price. I’m not a Zin guy, but there could be some decent value there.

I would also vote for $25 corkage or the Screaming Eagle as the best two values.

I’ve had some good cocktails there. A cocktail and a glass is usually my course of action, especially when it’s just my wife and I. I have brought a bottle from home once. I have never purchased a bottle from the list (though to be fair, I very rarely do that anywhere).

The chappellet pritchard hill is not outrageously priced at $280 (~$100 above release?). Continuum is also not outrageously marked up. Both great wines. For sub $100, Beringer Knights Valley ($54).

I love when folks post wine lists! I rarely eat out at places with nice lists and love to look these over.

While I’d personally have to pass, those with deep pockets might delight in the '99 Salon at $525. Less than 2x current auction prices.

I also say 2009 Screaming Eagle or corkage. If you bring a bottle, consider a glass of champagne (18 for N Feuillatte not bad) or a glass of Sauternes - or both- to round out the experience.

Bottle of 1958 Madeira also not bad for a wine list.

Never had the Conn Creek Cab Franc but it’s probably a good $68 wine list wine

Pay the corkage but if I had to buy off the list and keep it reasonable:

Turley or Baile Zin
Pride merlot
David Arthur blend
Stolpman syrah for $48 should be passable too