Big steaks, safe pours, zero surprises
Northeast / University Village · Colorado Springs · Upscale American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 14, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Cowboy Star reads exactly like the room looks — polished, Western-leaning, and built to impress without taking any real risks. You know what you're getting before you even open it: Napa Cabs, a Willamette Pinot, maybe a Washington red for good measure. It's a greatest-hits record, and they're playing every track.
The list runs somewhere between 80 and 130 bottles, anchored hard in Napa Valley and Sonoma, with some Willamette Valley and Washington State filling out the red wine flanks. Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak, Duckhorn, Far Niente — these are the brands that sell themselves, and Cowboy Star leans on that hard. There's nothing wrong with any of these wines, but there's also nothing here that will make a curious drinker feel seen. Gaps in European imports, natural wine, and anything off the beaten California path are wide enough to drive a chuck wagon through.
The by-the-glass program runs 10 to 18 options, priced $12 to $22 — respectable range for a steakhouse at this level. Expect the usual suspects poured in that bracket: a Napa Cab, a Chardonnay, probably a Pinot and a Merlot. The selection doesn't rotate much, and that ceiling of $22 a glass on bottles marked up steeply means the per-ounce math gets uncomfortable fast.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley — $22
Jordan is consistently well-made, food-friendly, and approachable without the cult markup that follows Caymus or Silver Oak. At the top of the by-the-glass range, it's the most honest pour on the list — structured enough for a ribeye, soft enough to not demand your full attention.
Duckhorn Merlot, Napa Valley
Everyone at a steakhouse is scanning for Cab, which means the Duckhorn Merlot gets ignored. It shouldn't be. Duckhorn basically kept Merlot alive post-Sideways and this bottle drinks with more complexity than its reputation suggests. Order it before someone at the table vetoes it.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Caymus is fine wine that has become a restaurant markup machine. It's wildly over-ordered, which means it's priced accordingly. You're paying for the name recognition at this point, and Jordan or even the Duckhorn will give you a better experience dollar-for-dollar.
Far Niente Chardonnay, Napa Valley + Dry-aged butcher's cut
Counterintuitive, but a rich, buttery Far Niente Chardonnay alongside dry-aged beef works better than you'd expect — the wine's oak and weight mirror the umami depth of the aged cut without fighting it. It's the move when everyone else at the table is locked into red.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Cowboy Star delivers exactly what a Colorado Springs steakhouse crowd wants from a wine list — familiar names, properly stored, and no homework required. It's not a destination for wine, but it won't embarrass you either; just steer toward Jordan over Caymus and pocket the difference.
Broadmoor · Colorado Springs · Steakhouse and American
La Taverne is a well-run, properly staffed wine program inside one of Colorado's most storied resort properties — expect to pay for the privilege and the setting. If you stick to Jordan and Peter Michael and resist the siren call of the trophy bottles, you'll drink very well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Broadmoor · Colorado Springs · Italian (Northern Italian, trattoria-style)
Ristorante del Lago is the rare resort restaurant where the wine program actually earns some respect — the Italian focus is real, the sommelier knows the list, and a few genuinely exciting bottles are hiding in there if you look past the marquee names. Just go in knowing you're paying Broadmoor prices, and order accordingly.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Colorado Springs · Colorado Springs · Steakhouse
Famous Steakhouse is the dependable old hand — the wine list won't excite you, but it won't embarrass you either, and with a prime rib in front of you and a Stag's Leap in the glass, that's a perfectly decent Thursday night. Just don't come looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Manitou Springs · Colorado Springs · Mexican / Tex-Mex
Crystal Park Cantina is a genuinely fun spot for tacos and margaritas with a mountain view — lean into that and skip the wine entirely. The list is overpriced grocery store inventory with no ambition, and no amount of scenery changes that.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Manitou Springs · Colorado Springs · Upscale American, Contemporary Fine Dining
The Cliff House wine program is the dependable friend who always shows up dressed well — you know exactly what you're getting, and it's genuinely good, even if it never blows your mind. For a special occasion in the mountains, this is a comfortable, well-run room that will take care of you.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown / West Colorado · Colorado Springs · Fine Dining / Steak & Seafood
Pepper Tree is a reliable wine stop for what it is — a classic Colorado fine-dining room where the tableside Steak Diane is the main event and the wine list is a well-behaved supporting cast. Don't come here chasing discovery, but do come knowing you'll drink decently without drama.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northwest (Jefferson Pointe / Illinois Rd corridor) · Fort Wayne · Upscale American Steakhouse
Eddie Merlot's Fort Wayne is a reliably well-run steakhouse wine program — proper storage, real glassware, a sommelier on the floor, and enough pours by the glass to satisfy a full table. The list won't challenge you, and the markups will sting, but if you want a classic California Cab with your prime beef and you want it done right, this place delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
North Clinton · Fort Wayne · Upscale American Steakhouse
BakerStreet is a solid steakhouse wine list that does exactly what it promises: familiar bottles, fair enough range, nothing adventurous. If you're in Fort Wayne and want a proper glass with a proper steak, this works — just don't come expecting to be surprised.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Harbor Boulevard · Anaheim · Upscale American Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Anaheim does exactly what a reliable steakhouse wine program should do — proper storage, proper glass, knowledgeable staff, and a list full of wines people recognize and trust. Just don't come here looking for discovery; come here to drink something good with a very good steak, and manage your expectations on the markup.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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