Trophy Bottles and Tuesday Deals in the Alps
Aspen · American
Updated June 2026
Reviewed April 28, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Cloud Nine’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Cloud Nine lands in Aspen's rarefied air with a wine list that makes no apologies for who it's courting — this is a room full of people who just got off a private flight, and the list is dressed accordingly. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence (held since 2022) signals that someone here actually cares, and with sommelier Alex Sunseri on staff, you're not flying blind. The mountain views and sleek room set expectations high, and the wine program mostly meets them.
The list leans hard into France — Burgundy and Bordeaux dominate, with names like Domaine Armand Rousseau, Château Lafite Rothschild, and the obligatory DRC appearance. It's a prestige-forward curation that reads more like a flex than an exploration; you're not going to find an unexpected Jura producer or a Slovenian orange wine lurking in the back pages. Guigal's Côte-Rôtie La Landonne and Sassicaia from Tuscany round out the heavy hitters with a nod toward broader European ambition. For a list with this much firepower, the range feels narrow — it's all bull's-eyes, no curveballs.
Specific by-the-glass options weren't available during our research, which is a gap worth noting — in a room priced at this level, a strong and rotating glass program is table stakes. What we do know is that Alex Sunseri is running the floor, so ask directly; the right answer is probably one conversation away. The half-price wine night on Tuesdays is the real headline here — more on that below.
Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne 2019 — $650
In a list dominated by four-figure Burgundy and Bordeaux royalty, La Landonne is the closest thing to a relative deal — it's one of the Northern Rhône's most serious wines, and at $650 it won't feel cheap, but on a Tuesday at half price you're looking at $325 for a bottle that holds its own against anything else on this list.
Sassicaia 2020
Super Tuscans get overshadowed when DRC and Pétrus are in the room, but Sassicaia 2020 is a fantastic vintage from one of Italy's benchmark estates. Most tables here are chasing French prestige and walk right past it — don't be that table.
Pétrus 2019
At $3,800 a bottle with no retail anchor to check the markup against, this is a leap of faith we're not ready to make. Pétrus is always going to be expensive, but without transparency on what you're actually paying above retail, it's a blank check signed in Merlot.
Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin 2018 + Wagyu beef tartare
Rousseau's Chambertin is silky, complex, and built on a foundation of red fruit and earth — it doesn't overpower raw beef, it converses with it. The richness of Wagyu tartare needs something with structure and depth, not weight, and this is that wine.
Tuesday — Half-price wine on Tuesdays — a legitimately rare offer at this price tier. This is the move. Book accordingly.
The Bottom Line
Cloud Nine is a trophy-list restaurant in a trophy-list town, and it earns its Wild Card badge for keeping things interesting with a real sommelier, a legitimate French focus, and a Tuesday half-price program that's practically criminal at this level. If you're not dining on Tuesday, go in with eyes open on price — but go in.
· Aspen · Seafood and Oyster Bar
Clark's Oyster Bar Aspen earns the Wild Card badge by doing something almost no oyster bar does: ditching the dry wine playbook entirely and building a focused, globally-sourced dessert wine list with real producers at fair prices. It's a bizarre and commendable choice. Come for the oysters, stay for the Madeira — just don't expect a Muscadet to wash them down.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aspen · Hotel dining
MOLLIE runs one of the most thoughtful compact lists in Aspen, and the all-by-the-glass format means you can drink your way through France without committing to a bottle. The pricing is fair for the altitude and the address, and the curation punches above a typical hotel program. If you're passing through and want a smart glass of wine without a thesis-length wine list, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aspen · Historic hotel dining
Hotel Jerome's Living Room list is a pleasant surprise in a market where hotel wine programs often coast on tourist ignorance and Famous Names. The selection is short but curated, with enough Old World intrigue — the Vajra Barbera, the Quintodecimo, the Bandol rosé — to reward the curious. Markups are real and Aspen-appropriate, so set your expectations accordingly. If you're staying at the hotel or catching a drink after a ski day, you'll drink well here without feeling insulted.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aspen · Italian
Mezzaluna's wine list is a missed opportunity in a town that could easily support something far more interesting. The markups are real — Santa Margherita at $64 and Joel Gott Cab at $60 are doing the heavy lifting on margin — and the selection never ventures beyond brands your parents recognize. If you're eating here, drink the Frescobaldi or the Ruffino Riserva and call it a night; don't expect the list to surprise you.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aspen · Seasonal New American
AspenX Beach Club is exactly what it advertises: a spectacle first, a wine program second. There's a sommelier on staff and the Champagne-and-rosé focus is at least intentional and coherent, but pricing at this address in this atmosphere is going to sting. Go for the experience, order something cold and bubbly, and don't stress about the list — that's clearly not the point.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aspen · Japanese-Peruvian
Nobu Aspen's wine list won't win awards for depth or value, but it earns respect for its unexpected Australian backbone and a by-the-glass program that actually has range and structure. If you're dropping serious money at this address anyway, lean into the Swinney Grenache or the Domaine Laroche Chablis — someone cared enough to put them there.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Worcester · American
The Boynton is a great neighborhood spot for a cold beer, a burger, and a game — and that's exactly what it should be. The wine program is along for the ride, not driving the car. If wine matters to you tonight, this isn't your destination; if you're here for the food and the vibe, order a beer and enjoy it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Atlanta · Atlanta · American
Hard Rock Cafe Atlanta's wine list is a Lazy List by every measure — grocery store brands, steep markups, no specials, and a rotating staff with little incentive to know what's in the glass. If you're here for the memorabilia and the atmosphere, lean into a cocktail or a beer. If wine is non-negotiable, the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling or Columbia Crest Cab will get you through the night without regret.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Cumming, GA · American
The real headline here is Friday: half-price bottles under $250, which is a legitimately good deal in any zip code. Add a sommelier in a neighborhood grill context and Tin Cup earns a look that most Cumming restaurants don't. We'd go in on a Friday, ask for a recommendation, and let the staff do their job — that's what they're there for.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Acceptable
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