Local Roots, Global Reach, Desert Surprise
Downtown · El Paso · American Bistro · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 11, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Anson 11’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into a historic Downtown El Paso building and finding Mesilla Valley Pinot Noir alongside Madeira and Canadian Icewine on the same list is not something we expected. This isn't a wine bar pretending to be a restaurant — it's a bistro that clearly has someone with taste calling the shots. The price points alone tell you the intention here is access, not intimidation.
The list punches well above its weight for a mid-sized Texas border city bistro. You get local pride with two Mesilla Valley pours from right down the road, Old World credibility via Toro, Bordeaux, and Portugal, and a dessert wine section that most full-service restaurants twice this size neglect entirely. The inclusion of Inniskillin Vidal Icewine in both an approachable glass pour and a splurge-tier bottle is a bold and genuinely interesting move. The gap is on the white and sparkling side — we see Pascal Jolivet listed but the fuller picture is thin, and we'd love more depth there.
Glass pours run from $11 for the Broadbent Rainwater Madeira up to splurge territory, which tells us this list is structured for real exploration, not just Cab-or-Chard autopilot. The local Zin Valle Pinot Noir at $15 by the glass is the obvious conversation starter and probably the most interesting pour you'll find in El Paso at that price. We'd like to see a tighter rotation with more whites and a sparkling option, but what's here is genuinely worth ordering.
Numanthia Termes Tempranillo 2021 — $17
Numanthia is one of the benchmark names in Toro — a region that produces some of Spain's most powerful, age-worthy Tempranillo. Getting this on a glass pour at $17 is a genuine steal. Retail on this bottle usually runs $20-25, so the markup is almost nonexistent. Order two.
Broadbent Rainwater Madeira N/V
Madeira gets ignored at nearly every restaurant in America, and at $11 a glass most people walk right past it. Rainwater is the lightest, most approachable style — nutty, oxidative, and unlike anything else on this list. It's a conversation-starter and a genuine steal. Don't sleep on it.
Inniskillin Vidal Pearl Label Icewine 2021
At $145 a glass, the Pearl Label Icewine is a serious luxury pour — and while Inniskillin is a legitimate icewine producer, that's a steep ask for a dessert wine glass in a bistro setting. Unless you're celebrating something significant, the standard Inniskillin Vidal at $21 gets you most of the experience at a fraction of the price.
Zin Valle Pinot Noir 2021 + Bistro Charcuterie Board
A local Mesilla Valley Pinot with a charcuterie spread is the easy win here — the wine's bright acidity and lighter body cut through cured meats without fighting them, and there's something genuinely satisfying about drinking something made 45 minutes up the road while you're in it.
The Bottom Line
Anson 11 is quietly doing something special for El Paso's wine scene — a thoughtful, fair-priced list with local producers, Iberian depth, and a dessert wine section that embarrasses most bigger-city restaurants. Send your friends, order the Termes, and tell them about the Madeira.
Downtown · El Paso · French / European
Pot Au Feu is the kind of place that takes its food seriously and gives the wine list a passing grade — not an A, but enough to hold up its end of the evening. If you're eating French in El Paso, you could do a lot worse; just order smart and don't default to the Jadot.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westside / Northwest (The Canyons at Cimarron) · El Paso · Steakhouse
Oak & Antler isn't reinventing the steakhouse wine list, but the Wednesday half-price promotion turns a merely adequate program into a legitimately smart evening out. Come on a Wednesday, order the Jordan, eat a ribeye, and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · El Paso · American
Anson11 is a reliable destination for a well-executed California wine experience in a city where that kind of list isn't guaranteed — just don't expect to be surprised. Send your Caymus-loving friends here without hesitation; send your adventurous wine nerd somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
El Paso · El Paso · Regional, Southwestern American
Mesa Street Grill isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it delivers a competent, fairly priced California list that holds up to the food without embarrassing anyone. Send a friend here for a solid dinner — just don't expect to be surprised.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East El Paso · El Paso · Seafood, Steakhouse
Landry's wine list does exactly what a mid-tier chain seafood house needs it to do — keeps the table happy without embarrassing anyone. Just don't show up expecting inspiration; show up expecting a cold glass of Vermentino and a solid piece of fish.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Anthony · El Paso · Winery
La Viña is a road trip, not a dinner plan — but if you're anywhere near El Paso and you care about American wine history or just want to drink Dolcetto grown in the desert, it absolutely earns the detour. The list is wider and more ambitious than you'd expect, and that alone makes it worth the drive.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Hampden · Baltimore · American Bistro
The Food Market's Hampden list is short and approachable, with most wines posted between 10 / 38 and 15 / 56. Start with the Saverio Faro Nero d'Avola at 11 / 40, or the Saumur Chenin Blanc at 12 / 46 if you want a white that isn't Chardonnay; with the crab cake, try the Cune Rioja at 12 / 46. Confirm current availability and prices, since the site's separate Drinks page lists different wines; this unrated guide covers the posted Hampden wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Jersey City · American Bistro
Court Street's wine list is functional and fair — no embarrassing markups, a couple of genuinely good pours hiding among the Coastal Ridge, and glass prices that won't wreck your dinner tab. It's not a destination for wine lovers, but it's a perfectly fine neighborhood spot where you can drink the Rioja or the Sancerre and have a good night. Send your friends here for dinner; just steer them away from the mystery Champagne.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport News · American Bistro
This isn't a wine list in the traditional sense — it's a producer showcase, and Second Street leans into it with a multi-course dinner format. If you're into Napa and trust the Spoto brand, it's a worthwhile evening; if you wanted options, you're out of luck.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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