Colorado Springs

Mangia isn't trying to reinvent the wine list, and it doesn't need to — the pricing is honest, the glass selection is solid, and Wednesday half-price bottles make this one of the better midweek wine destinations in Colorado Springs. Come for the deal, stay for the Flowers.

Roth's is a genuinely nice place to drink wine if your taste runs California and your budget runs large — it delivers on the experience even if the list doesn't take any risks. Send a friend here for a special occasion, but tell them to skip the Caymus.

TAPAteria is doing something genuinely uncommon in Colorado Springs: running a Spanish wine program that actually reflects Spain, not just a vague idea of it. If you want Cabernet with your tapas, you're at the wrong place — and that's exactly the point.

Grand View is a well-run, properly staffed wine program that does exactly what a high-end resort restaurant should — it just charges accordingly for the privilege. Send a friend here for a special occasion, warn them about the Opus One markup, and tell them to order the Jordan.

Vine & Wheel is doing something genuinely interesting for Colorado Springs — a focused, Italy-leaning list in a cheese-and-charcuterie setting, with a half-price bottle deal mid-week that makes it hard to argue with. It's not a deep cellar, but it's a place where someone clearly cared, and that's worth your time.

Four by Brother Luck isn't a wine destination, but it's running an honest, fair-priced list in a restaurant where the food is clearly the main event. Send a friend here for dinner and tell them to order the Barbera — they'll thank you.

Di Sopra is a charming room with food that deserves a stronger wine list — the California-heavy selection is competent but mismatched to the Italian ambition. Come for the osso buco and housemade pasta; manage your wine expectations accordingly.

La Taverne earns its reputation as one of Colorado's premier wine destinations — the list is deep, the pricing is surprisingly fair for a five-star resort, and the staff clearly knows what's in the cellar. If you're anywhere near Colorado Springs and serious about wine, this is the room.

MacKenzie's is a reliable steakhouse wine list — dependable, familiar, and priced for an expense account rather than a value hunter. If you're after a classic Napa Cab with a great steak in a room that feels like a special occasion, it delivers; just don't expect to be surprised.

Paravicini's won't blow your mind on the wine front, but it won't embarrass itself either. Grab the Antinori, order the pasta, and keep your expectations calibrated to what this list is trying to be.

The Peppertree is a reliable steakhouse wine list doing exactly what a reliable steakhouse wine list does — safe producers, steep prices, zero risk. Come for the views and the Chateaubriand, order the Jordan, and don't expect the wine program to steal the show.

Uva punches well above its zip code — 200 bottles and 40 glass pours in a Northgate strip mall is either ambitious or slightly unhinged, and we respect both. If you're in Colorado Springs and you want to actually drink wine, this is the move.

Dat's Italian is a genuinely charming neighborhood spot where the food does the heavy lifting and the wine list is there to support it — not steal the show. Come for the lasagna, pick the Riserva, and don't overthink it.