Game Day Wines for the Unadventurous
Westgate Entertainment District · Glendale · American gastropub / bar & grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 27, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bar Louie – Westgate’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Bar Louie Westgate reads like the shelf at a grocery store that someone forgot to update. It gets the job done if your goal is a glass of something recognizable before a Coyotes game, but there's no ambition here — just familiar labels doing familiar things at not-so-familiar prices.
We're looking at a California-only list anchored entirely by mass-market brands: Kendall-Jackson, Meiomi, Josh Cellars. There's no regional diversity, no independent producers, and nothing that would make a wine-curious drinker lean in. The list tops out around 20 bottles, which is fine for a sports bar, but when those 20 bottles are all Greatest Hits from the supermarket aisle, the depth conversation ends before it starts. Gaps are everywhere — no sparkling, no rosé worth mentioning, no white that isn't Chardonnay.
The by-the-glass program runs 8-12 options, which sounds respectable until you realize it's just the greatest hits spread across formats. You're getting Meiomi Pinot Noir, Josh Cabernet, and KJ Chard at every turn, poured into standard stems by staff who are friendly but unlikely to steer you toward anything interesting. There's no rotation, no seasonal swap-in — what's on the menu today was probably on it a year ago.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay — $10
If you're here and you want wine, this is the call. It's the least offensive option on the list, widely consistent, and at bar-pour pricing it won't wreck your night financially.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
It's not exactly a hidden gem in the traditional sense — Meiomi is everywhere — but in this context, it's the most food-friendly wine on the menu. Slightly chilled, it actually works with the burger lineup better than anything else here.
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Josh Cab at a bar markup is a tough sell. You're paying restaurant pricing for a bottle you can grab at Total Wine for $12. The wine isn't bad — it's just not worth the math in this setting.
Meiomi Pinot Noir + Burgers and sliders
Meiomi's soft fruit and easy tannins won't fight the beef, and the slight sweetness in the wine handles the char on a bar burger better than a heavy Cab would. It's the right call when the kitchen is cranking during a packed event night.
The Bottom Line
Bar Louie Westgate is a perfectly fine place to drink beer and watch a game — the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved seems to know it. If wine is your thing, order a cocktail and come back to the wine conversation at a different restaurant.
· Glendale · Market / Bottle Shop with Food
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Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Glendale · Entertainment Restaurant
Dave & Buster's wine list exists because a liquor license requires one, not because anyone here cares. Order a cocktail, grab tokens, and save the wine night for literally anywhere else.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Glendale · Gastropub
Bar Louie is a perfectly fine place to drink a beer or a cocktail, but the wine list is an afterthought dressed up in column formatting. If wine is why you're going out, go somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Glendale · Hotel restaurant
Desert Sage is a hotel bar wine list that knows exactly what it is and makes no apologies. Unless DAOU is calling your name, order a cocktail and save the wine for dinner somewhere else in Glendale.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Glendale · Modern American
The Lola isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that perfectly clear. If you're eating here, order the Chandon to start, pick the Cape Mentelle Semillon if you want to feel something, and budget the rest of your enthusiasm for the food.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
VAI Resort · Glendale · Rooftop Bar / Small Plates
Amara Rooftop is a place you go for the view and a cocktail — the wine list is an afterthought dressed up in a resort price tag. If wine is your thing, drink something fun downstairs and come up here for the sunset.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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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