Colorado Springs

Joseph's is doing the right things with wine without doing anything exceptional — a solid, if unadventurous, list in a room that clearly takes its craft seriously. Send a friend here for a reliable night out; just don't send them expecting to be wowed by the cellar.

If you're road-tripping up to Pikes Peak and care even a little about drinking local, Wines of Colorado is a mandatory stop — it's the rare restaurant where the entire concept is the wine list. Send your Colorado-curious friends here without hesitation.

Caspian Cafe isn't a wine destination, but it's making an honest effort with a short list that punches well above its zip code. If you've never had Château Musar and you're eating kebabs in Colorado Springs, this is your moment.

Cowboy Star is a dependable steakhouse wine list done right — sommelier on staff, proper storage, and enough depth to keep serious wine drinkers busy. Just don't expect to find anything that will make you forget your dinner conversation; this list is here to serve the steak, not steal the show.

Tapateria is doing something genuinely rare in Colorado Springs: building a wine list that matches the food's ambition rather than catering to the lowest common denominator. The pricing alone makes it worth the trip, but the list's dedication to real Spanish regionality is what earns the repeat visits.

Zocalo isn't your wine destination — it's your Tuesday taco spot that won't make you drink bad wine. If you're not ordering a margarita, grab the Portillo or the Malbec and call it a solid night.

Grand View earns its Wine Spectator hardware — this is a serious, well-curated list backed by real sommelier talent in one of the more spectacular dining rooms in Colorado. The markups sting, but the setting and the depth of the list make it worth the splurge at least once.

Black Forest Bistro is a genuinely charming place to eat dinner, and the room deserves a better wine list than the one it's got. Until the markup math gets rethought, our honest advice is to order a cocktail or accept that you're paying a steep premium for the privilege of drinking wine in a pretty space.

The Steakhouse at Flying Horse is earning its Wine Spectator hardware — two sommeliers, a deep California-France-Italy list, and glassware that actually respects what's in it. Prices run steep as expected at a resort of this caliber, but the program is serious and the execution backs it up; yes, send your friend here for wine.

Summit earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence — this is a serious list run by serious people in a setting that can actually support it. Pricing skews steep as expected for a resort of this caliber, but if you're celebrating something worth celebrating, this is where you do it in Colorado Springs.

Mizuna isn't trying to be a wine destination, but its Pacific Northwest-focused list is sharper and more purposeful than most restaurants in this zip code. Send a friend here if they want a solid, food-friendly bottle without having to navigate a 200-label minefield.

La Tour is punching well above its weight for Colorado Springs — a genuinely considered French-forward list at prices that don't make you wince. Not a destination wine program, but absolutely worth your attention if you're in town and want something better than the obvious pour.

The Cliff House wine program is the real thing — 800 bottles, a sommelier, proper storage, and glassware that respects what's in it. The markups sting and the list plays it safe, but if you're celebrating something in the shadow of Pikes Peak, this is exactly where you want to be doing it.

Carlos' Bistro won't surprise you, but it won't let you down either — the wine list is reliable, familiar, and a little expensive, which is exactly on-brand for a fine dining institution built around comfort and consistency. Send a friend here if they want a safe, well-executed wine experience; send a wine geek somewhere else.

Oro is the best Italian wine list in Colorado Springs by a comfortable margin, which matters more than it sounds in this market. The pricing leans hotel-steep and the list won't surprise a seasoned wine drinker, but the focus is right, the staff knows what they're doing, and the room makes you want to stay for another glass.

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.