Bozeman's Best-Kept Wine Secret
· Bozeman · Wine bar / gourmet market · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed City Vineyard’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
You don't expect to walk into Bozeman, Montana and land in front of a list that has Borgogno Barolo and Raisins Gaulois Gamay sitting next to each other — but here we are. City Vineyard is playing a different game than most wine bars in ski country, where the default is 'whatever Kendall-Jackson is left on the shelf.' This place actually thought about it.
Forty-one labels, and nearly every one of them earns its spot. The Italian section alone is worth the trip: a Ridolfi Brunello di Montalcino 2020, a Borgogno No Name Barolo 2021, and a Sesti Monteleccio Sangiovese 2022 give you a real Tuscan cross-section without making you feel like you're reading a textbook. The list swings naturally wine-adjacent with the Raisins Gaulois Gamay 2024 and takes a left turn through Portugal with Mary Taylor's Douro 2022 — that kind of range is rare. Cab and Merlot drinkers aren't forgotten either: Chappellet, Canvasback, Duckhorn, and Kenefick Ranch cover the California classics without leaning on the obvious grocery-store giants.
Here's where City Vineyard goes full send: all 41 bottles are available by the glass, priced between $10 and $50. That's a genuine choose-your-own-adventure pour situation, not a four-item afterthought. It means you can taste across the whole list in a single visit, which is exactly how a wine bar should work.
Mary Taylor Douro 2022 — $36
The lowest bottle price on the list and punches well above it. Mary Taylor sources from small Portuguese producers and the Douro delivers structure and dark fruit that would comfortably sit in the $60 range elsewhere. At $36 a bottle (or a proportional glass pour), it's the easiest call on the menu.
Inama Carménère 2021
Carménère from Inama — an Italian producer better known for Soave and Colli Berici — is a curiosity most people scroll past. They shouldn't. It's a left-field pick that brings savory, green-herb character you won't find anywhere else on this list. The kind of bottle you order to impress the table without spending like you're trying to.
Duckhorn Merlot 2022
Duckhorn is fine — genuinely fine — but at $68 a bottle you're paying a heavy name-recognition tax. It's the most predictable label on a list that goes out of its way to be interesting, and you can do better for the money literally anywhere else on this menu.
Stolpman Vineyards Syrah Blend 2023 + Charcuterie board
Stolpman's Syrah brings enough peppery, meaty backbone to stand up to cured meats and aged cheeses without steamrolling the more delicate components. It's a natural pull for grazing-style eating, and at $52 a bottle it's one of the smarter splurges on the list.
The Bottom Line
City Vineyard is what happens when someone in Bozeman actually cares — a 41-bottle all-by-the-glass list with real range, fair prices, and wines you'd be excited to find in a major city. Send your friends here and tell them to skip the Duckhorn.
· Bozeman · French Restaurant & Wine Bar
La Brasserie is doing something genuinely interesting for Bozeman — a French wine bar with regional ambition is a wild card worth betting on, even if the list isn't fully transparent yet. Go in curious, ask questions, and let the coq au vin guide your pour.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bozeman · New American / Wine & Cocktail Bar
Tanglewood is a legitimate wine destination by Bozeman standards, with a global-leaning list and knowledgeable staff that most casual bistros can't match. If you're in town and want something interesting in your glass alongside fried cauliflower and a good burger, this is the move.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Bozeman · Wine Bar
Blackbird Barside is doing something genuinely rare in Montana — a focused, knowledgeable wine program that respects Old World producers and doesn't gouge you for it. The daily 4:30–5:30 PM half-price window on select bottles is reason enough to rearrange your afternoon.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Oak Street · Bozeman · American steakhouse with emphasis on bison and classic comfort food
Ted's Montana Grill isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be. The list is fair, the prices are reasonable, and the picks line up sensibly with what's coming out of the kitchen. Send a friend here for the bison — and tell them to order the Riesling.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Main · Bozeman · American Bar & Grill
Bay Bar & Grille isn't a wine destination — it's a neighborhood spot where the wine list quietly does its job better than expected. If you're in Bozeman and need a reliably solid glass with your burger or steak, you won't leave disappointed.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Bozeman · Bozeman · American steakhouse with bison specialties
Ted's Montana Grill is a reliable place to eat well and drink adequately — the wine list won't inspire you, but it won't embarrass you either. If you're here for the bison and want a bottle of Jordan to go with it, you're in good hands; if you're here for the wine program, you're in the wrong building.
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
