Great View, Forgettable Wine, Move On
Downtown Waterfront · Coeur d'Alene · Rooftop Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 19, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed CDA Resort Rooftop Lounge’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The lake view is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. You sit down, Coeur d'Alene spreads out in front of you, and for a moment it doesn't matter what's on the wine list — until you look at the wine list. It's short, safe, and clearly built for people who are already distracted by the scenery.
The list leans on splits and recognizable labels: JP Sauvignon Blanc, Canella Prosecco, a house CDA Lake Chardonnay and Cabernet that sound more like resort branding than actual wine selections. There's a nod to the Pacific Northwest with Erath's Resplendent Pinot Noir and Latah Creek's Huckleberry Riesling — the latter being a genuinely local Idaho touch worth acknowledging. But the overall picture is a list designed for zero friction and maximum turnover, not for anyone who wants to think even slightly about what they're drinking. Gaps everywhere: no whites from the Willamette, no rosé worth seeking out, nothing adventurous.
Everything appears to be available by the glass or split format, which suits the rooftop grab-and-go pace. The split options — JP Sauvignon Blanc at $10 and Canella Prosecco at $13 — keep things casual but the markups are not casual at all. Don't expect a rotating selection or anything seasonal; what you see is what you get, season after season.
Latah Creek Huckleberry Riesling — $8/glass
At $8 a glass it's the most interesting thing on the list and the one wine with an actual local Idaho story behind it. The markup still stings relative to a $15 retail bottle, but among the options here, it's the pick with the most personality.
Latah Creek Huckleberry Riesling
Most people at a resort rooftop reach for bubbles or Cab without a second thought. This one rewards curiosity — it's from an Idaho producer and it's genuinely different from anything else on the list.
Erath Resplendent Pinot Noir
Fourteen dollars a glass for a bottle that retails around $15 is a rough ask. Erath is fine, but Resplendent is their entry-level tier and there's nothing here that justifies the nearly 3x markup. Order the cocktail.
Canella Prosecco Split + Cajun Devils (blackened shrimp and brown sugar bacon deviled eggs)
The sweetness from the brown sugar bacon and the heat from the blackened shrimp need something with bubbles and a little brightness to cut through. The Canella Prosecco split is overpriced but it does the job — and finishing a 187ml split while the sun drops over the lake is hard to argue with.
The Bottom Line
Come for the view, order a cocktail, and if you must have wine, grab the Latah Creek Riesling and call it a day. This list exists to serve the room, not to serve wine drinkers.
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Coeur d'Alene · Wine Bar / Small Plates
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Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Penn Square Rooftop · Lancaster · Rooftop Bar
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Century Square · College Station · Rooftop Bar
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Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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