The Pizza's the Point, Not the Wine
Downtown · Durango · Pizza / Bar
Reviewed July 22, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Ernie's Bar & Pizza’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Ernie's is exactly what you'd expect from a bar that leads with pizza and ends with pizza. It's short, it's generic, and it makes zero effort to surprise you. If you came here hoping to find something interesting in the glass, recalibrate immediately.
Eight to twelve wines total, nearly all of them California house pours with no producer names worth mentioning. The list covers the basics — a Chardonnay, a Cab, a Pinot Grigio, and yes, a White Zinfandel — but there's no regional curiosity, no small producer, nothing that suggests anyone curating this list spent more than fifteen minutes on it. The Italian presence is a single value Pinot Grigio that probably shares shelf space at your local grocery store. This is a wine list that exists because restaurants are expected to have one, not because anyone cares.
Six to eight options by the glass, priced between $6 and $9, which is genuinely affordable for a night out. The problem isn't the price — it's that the options are interchangeable with whatever's on tap at a hotel bar. There's no rotation, no seasonal thinking, just the same pours on repeat.
House Cabernet Sauvignon — $8
At this price point, it's the most food-friendly pour on the list and won't fight with a saucy pizza. Not a wine to think about — just a wine to drink.
Pinot Grigio
Overlooked because it reads as filler, but it's the cleanest option on the list for cutting through cheese and dough. Order it cold, drink it fast, don't ask questions.
White Zinfandel
There's no version of this that makes sense at a pizza bar in 2024. Skip it entirely and put that $7 toward another slice.
House Cabernet Sauvignon + Pizza
A big, tomato-forward pizza needs something with enough body to hold its own against the sauce. The house Cab is blunt but it gets the job done — sometimes that's all you need.
The Bottom Line
Ernie's is a pizza bar, and it's probably a good one — but the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved knows it. Drink the beer, eat the pizza, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere else.
· Durango · Steakhouse / Wine Cellar
The Ore House Wine Cellar is doing more than the zip code requires, and the pricing is fair enough that you won't feel punished for ordering off the list. It's not a destination wine program, but for a special-occasion steakhouse in Durango, it earns a confident yes — order something European and let the mountain air do the rest.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Durango · Rooftop Lounge
Animas Rooftop Lounge is not a wine destination — it's a drinks-with-a-view spot that happens to have a functional wine list. The pricing is fair, the local San Juans options give it a small edge over a purely generic lineup, and the Crémant Rosé is a genuinely good pour. If you're coming for the wine program, adjust expectations; if you're coming for the rooftop, order accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Durango · Farm-to-Table
Farm & Vine Bistro isn't trying to be a wine destination, and it doesn't need to be. The all-by-the-glass format keeps things democratic, markups are fair across the board, and a few genuinely well-chosen bottles — the Dr. Loosen, the Volver, the Belle Glos — give wine-curious diners something to actually think about. If you're in Durango and want a solid glass without overthinking it, this works.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Durango · Italian / Wine Bar
Primi is a solid neighborhood dinner spot that leans into its Italian identity with enough wine-bar intent to make it worth considering for a midweek meal, especially if Tuesday's reported specials check out on arrival. We'd go in with realistic expectations: good pasta, a serviceable Italian-focused list, and a room that prioritizes comfort over credentials. For Durango, that's a reasonable trade.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
South Durango · Durango · American, Cajun & Creole, Southern Barbecue, Seafood
Highway 3 is not a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — which is half the charm. The list is short, the prices are mostly fair, and if you stick to the whites with the oysters you'll have a perfectly good time. Send your wine-obsessed friends somewhere else, but don't order a Bud Light just because the list is small.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Durango · Wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza
Fired Up Pizzeria's wine list is a workhorse, not a showpiece — it gets the job done without embarrassing anyone, but it won't give you a story to tell. Order the Sasyr, eat great pizza, and save the wine nerd energy for somewhere else in Durango.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Springfield · Pizza / Bar
The Rail Pizza Company isn't here to impress you with wine — it's here to sell you pizza and pour you something cold while you eat it. If your expectations are calibrated accordingly, Bota Box gets the job done; just don't come expecting anything beyond that.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Marcos · San Marcos · Pizza / Bar
Pies & Pints is here for the pizza and the pints — the wine list is functional at best and overpriced at worst. Order a beer, or grab the Wyclyff sparkling and move on.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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
