Denver's Tasting Menu Gets Serious About Wine
RiNo · Denver · Modern American Tasting Menu · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 14, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Beckon’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
This is what a wine program looks like when someone actually cares. The list reads like Wine Director Justin Mueller went hunting for bottles that work with precision tasting courses, not just crowd-pleasers. You see López de Heredia next to Krug next to a quirky SLO Coast blend, and it all makes sense in context.
The 100-150 bottle list punches way above its weight with serious depth in France and Italy, smart Oregon selections, and enough curveballs to keep somms interested. We're talking proper Brunello (Casanuova delle Cerbaie 2015), classic white Rioja that's actually aged (López de Heredia Viña Gravonia 2016), and a house cuvée from Darling in Petaluma Gap. The Greek and Spanish sections show someone's traveling with purpose, not just filling slots. No grocery store Pinot here.
Twelve by-the-glass options running $15-35 is the right scale for a tasting menu spot. The range shows confidence: you can start with Dunites' Moy Mell blend at $15 or go full Hervé Brisson at $36. The Darling house cuvée at $25 is a nice touch—exclusive bottlings signal a program that thinks beyond distributors' greatest hits. Rotation seems thoughtful rather than frequent.
R. López de Heredia 'Viña Gravonia' Viura Rioja 2016 — $26
Eight-year-old white Rioja with proper bottle age at 92% markup is the move—this wine retails for $50 and drinks like it belongs in a $40+ pour
Dunites 'Moy Mell' Pinot Noir Blanc · Chardonnay · Albariño SLO Coast 2023
A $15 glass of this three-grape SLO Coast blend sounds like a gimmick until you realize it's built for the seafood and vegetable-forward courses—bright, saline, and way more interesting than Chardonnay
Krug Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition
At $258 a bottle, you're paying tasting-menu markup on an already expensive Champagne—drink it where you're not also dropping $200+ on food
Daniele Conterno Nebbiolo Langhe 2023 + Seasonal meat course
Young Nebbiolo from a serious producer at $16/glass brings the acidity and tannin structure to cut through rich proteins without overwhelming delicate preparations
The Bottom Line
This is where you drink wine in Denver when you're serious about both the food and the bottle. Fair pricing, a sommelier who knows the list cold, and the kind of thoughtful selections that make tasting menus actually work with wine.
· Denver · Steakhouse
STK Denver is a place where wine exists to support a vibe, not to excite a drinker. If you're here for the scene and the steak, grab a glass of Bonanza at happy hour and call it a night — but don't come expecting the wine list to be part of the experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Denver · Denver · American, Steakhouse
Range is a confident, well-kept steakhouse list that won't surprise you but absolutely won't let you down — especially if California Cabs are your language. Just come in with your eyes open on pricing, and let Dan steer you toward the Jordan.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Cherry Creek · Denver · American, Seafood
Salt Water Social plays it safe with wine but plays it well — California classics at fair prices, with a Wednesday half-price night that makes it a genuine weekly option. No one's discovering anything new here, but you won't be disappointed either.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Denver · Denver · Regional Steakhouse
Urban Farmer is a solid, no-drama wine stop for anyone who loves California Cab and wants a proper glass with a well-cooked steak. It won't surprise you, but it won't disappoint you either — and in Denver's steakhouse scene, that's worth something.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
LoDo · Denver · Mediterranean, Spanish
Rioja earned its Wine Spectator nod, and then some — a Spanish wine list this focused and this well-stocked is rare anywhere, let alone Denver. If Spain is your thing, or you want it to become your thing, this is the room.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Denver · Denver · Italian
Restaurant Olivia is the kind of neighborhood Italian spot that quietly holds a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and earns it without making a fuss about it. Send your friends who think Denver can't do wine right — this list will change the conversation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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