Houston Scores Big on 'Wine Spectator' Texas Top 10 List

The Houston wine scene is a vibrant one, and in addition to several outstanding wine bars, the area boasts a number of restaurants whose wine programs deserve attention — they are ambitious and diverse and managed by professionals who don't pepper every other sentence with the words "somm" and "juice."

Wine Spectator just released its 10 Wine Stars in the Lone Star State list, and Houston is represented by four restaurants on the roster, more than any other Texas City.

Here are your Houston stars, and Wine Spectator's notes on each:

Caracol
2200 Post Oak Blvd., Houston

In uptown Houston, just a short drive from Super Bowl host NRG Stadium, you’ll find Best of Award of Excellence winner Caracol. There, restaurateur Tracy Vaught and chef Hugo Ortega provide a culinary tour of coastal Mexico, showcasing seafood from the Pacific, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico alongside chicken chile relleno, wood-roasted ribs and a cheeseburger with chorizo, avocado and black beans. Wine director Sean Beck’s 395-selection list provides plenty in the way of fish-friendly crisp whites and light-bodied reds, with strengths in California and Italy. Those who prefer spirits can choose from a large selection of tequilas and mezcals.

Pappas Bros. Steakhouse (Westheimer and Downtown locations)
1200 McKinney Street, Houston
5839 Westheimer Rd, Houston

With two Grand Award–winning wine lists clocking in at more than 3,500 selections, Texas chain Pappas Bros. Steakhouse proves that everything is indeed bigger in Texas. The Houston Galleria location’s list, manned by Steven McDonald and Robert Smith, earned its first Grand Award in 2010, while the Dallas outpost’s list, run by wine director Barbara Werley, earned the accolade the following year. Both programs offer heavy-hitters from California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Australia and Piedmont to pair with the chain’s signature steaks, which are dry-aged in-house for at least 28 days to develop a slightly nutty flavor while remaining juicy and tender. New to the family, the downtown Houston location earned its first Best of Award of Excellence in 2016. Each Pappas Bros. location also hosts nine to 10 wine tastings and seven to eight wine dinners a year, each focused on a particular wine style, wine region or winery.

KUU
947 Gessner Road, A180, Houston

An elegant eatery in Houston, KUU Restaurant features artful Japanese cuisine alongside an Award of Excellence–winning wine program. Chef and owner Adison Lee’s Japanese menu highlights fresh sushi, nigiri and sashimi, as well as creative small plates for sharing, such as crispy duck breast with compressed apple, Texas wagyu beef with unagi and salt-grilled mackerel with Brussels sprouts. Pair the cuisine with a bottle or two from wine director Ricky Cheung’s 200-selection list, well-stocked with California bottles and offering more than 20 sake options.

Perry's Steakhouse and Grille
700 Baybrook Mall Drive, Suite H 110, Friendswood

With 12 Award of Excellence–winning locations in Texas, Colorado and Illinois, Perry’s Steakhouse and Grille means business when it comes to pairing steak with wine. Prime beef offerings are a fixture of the menu, as are classic dishes such as bacon-wrapped scallops, pecan-crusted snapper and steamed lobster tail. The flagship location moved from Clear Lake to Friendswood, which lies between Houston and Galveston, in 2016, and has earned an Award of Excellence each year since 2008. All 12 locations’ lists are curated by wine director Susi Zivanovic and offer 215 selections, with picks from California and around the world.

Here is the rest of Wine Spectator's Texas Stars list:

Bohanan’s Prime Steaks and Seafood, San Antonio; Café Centra, El Paso; Grace, Fort Worth; Jeffrey’s, Austin; The Funky Door Bistro and Wine Room, Lubbock; and Olive and June; Austin.

— Image of Sean Beck courtesy Caracol