Six Hundred Bottles Deep in Anchorage
Downtown · Anchorage · American, International, Contemporary, Wine Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 19, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Crush Wine Bistro & Cellar’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into a wine bar in downtown Anchorage and the list runs 600 bottles deep — that's not what you expect when you're this far from Napa, Burgundy, or anywhere wine culture typically lives. The vibe is low-key and conversational, like someone's well-stocked living room decided to charge a cover. It earns your attention immediately.
The cellar leans heavily European — French Burgundy and Bordeaux anchor the list — but there's real range here, with Oregon Pinot Noir producers and California Cabernet Sauvignon rounding out the New World side. For a city where a wine program this size would be remarkable anywhere, let alone at 61 degrees north latitude, Crush is genuinely doing the work. The gaps are real — no deep dive into Southern Hemisphere or emerging regions from what we can tell — but the core is solid and curated with intention. Six hundred bottles is a commitment, and this list backs it up.
The posted June 12 menu puts wine flights at $17, with themes including “Old School Aussie” and “Just for the Halibut.” The latter lists La Brune Sauvignon Blanc, La Portera Macabeo and Limizzani Vermentino. That is a useful way to explore three whites before committing to a bottle. Ask about today’s selections and pour sizes.
Oregon Pinot Noir (rotating selection) — null
Oregon Pinot by the glass at a wine-focused bistro almost always outperforms its price point, and Crush's rotating picks from Pacific Northwest producers are the move here — great quality-to-cost ratio without the Burgundy markup.
Old School Aussie flight
The posted menu lists this flight at $17, bringing together Paper Mache Nero d’Avola, Pikes Shiraz Tempranillo and Bremerton Tamblyn Cabernet blend. Take the three-wine detour; confirm the current lineup before ordering.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
California Cab is the safe, crowd-pleasing anchor on almost every restaurant list in America, and it tends to carry the steepest markups for the least surprise. With French Burgundy and Oregon Pinot on the same list, there's no reason to default here.
French Burgundy (by the glass) + Salmon Special
Alaskan salmon and white Burgundy is a classic match — the wine's acidity and minerality cut through the richness of the fish without overwhelming it. At a bistro that clearly takes both the wine and the kitchen seriously, this is the obvious play.
The Bottom Line
Crush is the kind of place that shouldn't exist where it exists, and that's exactly what makes it worth seeking out. If you're in Anchorage and you care about what's in your glass, you come here — full stop.
Downtown · Anchorage · New American
The Marx Brothers Café is the kind of place that makes you reconsider your assumptions about where serious wine lives. In a historic Anchorage bungalow, they've built a list that would hold its own in San Francisco — and that earns every bit of the Wild Card badge.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown / G Street corridor · Anchorage · Wine Bar / Bistro
Crush earns its Wild Card badge not by being perfect, but by being genuinely surprising — a 600-bottle cellar and 40+ glass pours in Anchorage is an achievement worth acknowledging out loud. If you're passing through or living here, this is where you go when you actually care what's in your glass.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Girdwood · Anchorage · Winery Restaurant / Taproom
Bear Creek Winery Loft earns its Wild Card badge honestly — it's not trying to be a serious wine destination and doesn't need to be. If you're in Girdwood and you skip this in favor of a hotel bar pour, you've made a mistake you'll regret when you're back home explaining why you didn't try the rhubarb wine made in Alaska.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Anchorage · Modern Mexican / Latin Fusion
Tequila 61° is a genuinely fun downtown Anchorage spot — but the wine list is not the reason to come. Order the tequila, drink the margaritas, and if someone at the table insists on wine, steer them toward the Pinot Grigio and move on.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Anchorage · Brazilian Steakhouse (Churrascaria)
Texas de Brazil Anchorage is a reliable enough wine stop if you calibrate expectations to match the format — this is a chain steakhouse, not a wine destination, and the list behaves accordingly. Grab the Catena, eat a lot of picanha, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown / Spenard · Anchorage · Mexican / Pub / Pizza
Bear Tooth Grill is a legitimately great spot for beer, margaritas, pizza, and a movie — the wine list is just a formality. Order a craft beer, skip the wine entirely, and you'll have a fantastic time.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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