Sign In

or

No password needed — we'll email you a sign-in link.

🔥The Rager

Element 47

Aspen's Wine Cellar Flexes Without Apology

Aspen · Aspen · American

deep-cellarold-world-focussplurge-worthydate-night

Reviewed April 5, 2026

Wingman Metrics

List VarietyDeep & Eclectic
MarkupSteep
GlasswareVarietal Specific
StaffKnowledgeable & Friendly
Specials & DealsSet & Forget
Storage & TempProper

First Impression

The wine list at Element 47 lands with the quiet confidence of someone who knows exactly what they have. It's thick, it's serious, and it covers Burgundy, Bordeaux, California, Rhône, Italy, and Champagne with the kind of depth that makes you want to cancel your next three dinner reservations and just stay here. This is a Grand Award list — has been since 1997 — and it shows on every page.

Selection Deep Dive

With somewhere between 1,200 and 1,800 selections, this is not a wine list you browse casually over bread service. Burgundy is the crown jewel: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Henri Jayer Vosne-Romanée, Armand Rousseau Chambertin, and Leroy Musigny all appear, which means the cellar has receipts going back decades. Bordeaux is equally stacked — Château Pétrus and Château Le Pin are present for those with both the budget and the occasion to justify them. California gets serious representation too, with Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, Bond Estates, and Opus One covering the collector's wishlist, while Italy shows up strong via Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino and Sassicaia. Champagne lovers should look hard at Krug Clos du Mesnil and Salon Blanc de Blancs before defaulting to the obvious stuff.

By the Glass

Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is a real program, not an afterthought. The range means you can eat a full dinner here and drink well without committing to a bottle — which, given the price points on the deep cuts, is a legitimate strategy. We'd expect the glass pours to rotate with the cellar and the season, though there's no indication of a formal rotation program.

đź’°Best Value

Opus One — $80+

In the context of a list where Pétrus and DRC set the ceiling, Opus One is practically a floor-level entry point. It's a recognizable, well-made Napa-Bordeaux blend that drinks above its weight in this room, and it won't require a second mortgage.

đź’ŽHidden Gem

Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Most people at a table next to a DRC bottle aren't reaching for Grenache from the southern Rhône — and that's their loss. Rayas is one of the most singular wines made anywhere in France, and it tends to get overlooked here when the Burgundy column is doing its gravitational thing.

â›”Skip This

Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon

It's iconic, it's California, and it is absolutely priced accordingly at a luxury Aspen resort. You're paying for the name as much as the wine, and at these markups, there are better ways to spend that money in this very same cellar.

🍽️Perfect Pairing

E. Guigal La Landonne + Roast Duck

La Landonne is a single-vineyard Côte-Rôtie — inky, smoky, and built on Syrah with just enough northern Rhône iron to cut through duck fat without flinching. It's the kind of match that makes you put your fork down just to think about it.

🔥 The Bottom Line

Element 47 is the real deal — a proper wine destination wearing the clothes of a hotel restaurant. If you're in Aspen and serious about what's in your glass, this is where you go.

Comments

Cmd+Enter to post
Loading comments...

Sign In

or

No password needed — we'll email you a sign-in link.

Get the Weekly Wingman

One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.