Solid steak house wine list, no surprises
Old Town · Fort Collins · American Grill & Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 1, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Austin's American Grill’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Austin's American Grill reads exactly like you'd expect from a casual-upscale steakhouse in Fort Collins — familiar names, California-heavy, nothing that's going to make you do a double take. It's competent and crowd-friendly, built to move bottles alongside wood-fired ribeyes rather than challenge anyone's palate. Twenty-six labels isn't deep, but it covers the bases a steak-and-rotisserie crowd wants covered.
California leads the charge with the expected suspects — Caymus, Jordan, Orin Swift, and Stag's Leap — which tells you exactly who they're trying to please. There's a nod to the Pacific Northwest with Chateau Ste. Michelle and Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir, and a few international bottles sneak in: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, Martin Codax Albariño, Dr. L Riesling, and a Château Lescalle Bordeaux blend. The Bordeaux and the Riesling show someone was at least half-awake when building this list, but don't come here looking for Rhône juice or anything remotely obscure. The gaps — no Italian reds, no South American beyond Alamos Malbec — are as telling as the picks.
Eighteen by-the-glass options on a 26-bottle list is a genuinely impressive ratio — almost the whole cellar is available by the pour, which is a real win for tables that can't agree on a bottle. Pours run $10–$16, which is reasonable for Fort Collins, and the range covers whites, reds, and bubbly. The rotation appears static with no visible seasonal turnover, but at least you won't be stuck with two options.
Martin Codax Albariño Spain — $10/glass
At the floor price of the by-the-glass program, this Galician Albariño is the smartest pour on the menu — bright, coastal, and a natural foil to anything coming off the rotisserie. It punches well above what the price tag suggests.
Dr. L Riesling Mosel, Germany
Nobody orders Riesling at a steakhouse, which is exactly why you should. Loosen's entry-level Mosel is racy and off-dry, and it absolutely sings next to anything with fat or char. It's the most interesting bottle on the list by a wide margin and most tables will walk right past it.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
At $140 a bottle you're paying a serious premium for a wine that retails around $80–$85 and has become the house Cab of every middling steakhouse in America. There's nothing wrong with Caymus, but the markup here is hard to justify when Jordan is sitting right next to it for $20 less.
Orin Swift 8 Years in the Desert Zinfandel Blend + Wood-fired steak
Orin Swift's big, dark-fruited Zinfandel blend at $85 is built for exactly this moment — the char and smoke off the wood fire mirror the wine's roasted, jammy character, and the structure holds up to a well-marbled cut without getting bulldozed. It's the most fun you'll have with a red here.
The Bottom Line
Austin's American Grill is a dependable neighborhood steakhouse with a wine list that does its job without embarrassing itself — just don't come looking for adventure. Order the Albariño or the Dr. L, avoid the Caymus markup, and you'll drink well enough alongside a very solid steak.
Old Town · Fort Collins · Vegetarian / Plant-Based American
Tasty Harmony is not a wine bar, and it doesn't try to be — but it charges fair prices, pours across the whole list by the glass, and assembles a short list that actually makes sense with plant-based food. If you're eating here, drink the wine; you won't regret it.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Town · Fort Collins · Tex-Mex / Mexican
Rio Grande isn't a wine destination, and it knows it — but Wine Down Wednesdays with 50% off bottles is a legitimately good deal that earns it a second look. Bring your margarita crew, order the Malbec with your burrito, and call it a win.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Steakhouse
The Still is a genuinely fun spot for whiskey and red meat, but the wine list is a clear afterthought — overpriced grocery store bottles with no story to tell. Order a pour from their whiskey program and save the wine night for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Fort Collins · Fort Collins · French-influenced bistro; seafood-focused
Bistro Nautile is a genuinely appealing restaurant let down by a wine list that plays it safe with familiar labels and then charges aggressively for the privilege. Drink by the glass, stick to the interesting outliers, and don't let the French bistro atmosphere talk you into a $68 bottle of Daou.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Southwestern
Coyote's isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but the pricing is fair, the Wednesday deal is genuinely excellent, and there's nothing actively wrong here. Show up on a Wednesday, order a bottle of Pinot Grigio for $19.50, and focus on the burrito.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Casual Seafood Chain
Red Lobster isn't trying to be a wine destination and the list makes that abundantly clear — grab the Riesling, enjoy the biscuits, and don't come here expecting anything beyond the expected. If wine matters to your dinner, eat somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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