Boulder's Friulian Wine Temple Does It Right
Downtown Boulder · Denver · Northern Italian (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 14, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Frasca Food and Wine’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
You open this list and immediately know you're somewhere serious. Over 200 bottles, heavily Italian but not slavishly so, with a laser focus on Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Triveneto region that feels like a masterclass in northeastern Italian wine. This is a sommelier-driven program with actual passion behind it.
The Friulian selection is the star—expect indigenous grapes like Schioppettino, Refosco, and Ribolla Gialla alongside Friulano and Pinot Grigio that actually taste like something. But they don't stop at the Italian border: Slovenia and Austria get proper representation, and the supporting cast from France, Oregon, and beyond shows real curation. The list spans $16 glasses to serious cellar bottles, with depth in Piemonte, Tuscany, and the Rhône. What's remarkable is the lack of filler—no lazy Chianti or throwaway Pinot Grigio, just thoughtful picks that fit the Friulian food philosophy.
Twenty to twenty-five pours rotating through, priced $16-$26, which is honest for this caliber. The Bava Barbera d'Asti 'Libera' at $16 is a textbook food-friendly Italian red, while the Lingua Franca Oregon Pinot Noir at $26 shows they're not trapped in Italy-only thinking. Glass selection rotates seasonally and the staff actually knows what's pouring, which is rarer than it should be.
Bava 2023 Barbera d'Asti 'Libera' — $16
Marked up barely 20% from retail—practically charity work. Bright, acidic, crushable Piemonte red that'll cut through any rich dish on the menu.
Petrussa 2022 Schioppettino Friuli Colli Orientali
At $30 (marked DOWN from $40 retail), this indigenous Friulian grape is spicy, structured, and nobody outside wine geeks orders it. That's their loss—it's built for the grilled venison.
None worth skipping
Honestly, with markups running 20-25% BELOW retail on multiple bottles, there's no trap here. Even the pricier selections justify themselves.
Petrussa 2022 Schioppettino Friuli Colli Orientali + CERVO ALLA GRIGLIA (grilled venison)
Indigenous Friulian red grape meets game meat—both have that wild, herbaceous, peppery edge that locks together like they were raised on the same hillside.
The Bottom Line
This is what a wine program looks like when the restaurant actually cares. Fair pricing, deep knowledge, regional focus that teaches you something, and a sommelier team that treats wine like it matters. Worth the drive to Boulder.
· Denver · Steakhouse
STK Denver is a place where wine exists to support a vibe, not to excite a drinker. If you're here for the scene and the steak, grab a glass of Bonanza at happy hour and call it a night — but don't come expecting the wine list to be part of the experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Denver · Denver · American, Steakhouse
Range is a confident, well-kept steakhouse list that won't surprise you but absolutely won't let you down — especially if California Cabs are your language. Just come in with your eyes open on pricing, and let Dan steer you toward the Jordan.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Cherry Creek · Denver · American, Seafood
Salt Water Social plays it safe with wine but plays it well — California classics at fair prices, with a Wednesday half-price night that makes it a genuine weekly option. No one's discovering anything new here, but you won't be disappointed either.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Denver · Denver · Regional Steakhouse
Urban Farmer is a solid, no-drama wine stop for anyone who loves California Cab and wants a proper glass with a well-cooked steak. It won't surprise you, but it won't disappoint you either — and in Denver's steakhouse scene, that's worth something.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
LoDo · Denver · Mediterranean, Spanish
Rioja earned its Wine Spectator nod, and then some — a Spanish wine list this focused and this well-stocked is rare anywhere, let alone Denver. If Spain is your thing, or you want it to become your thing, this is the room.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Denver · Denver · Italian
Restaurant Olivia is the kind of neighborhood Italian spot that quietly holds a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and earns it without making a fuss about it. Send your friends who think Denver can't do wine right — this list will change the conversation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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
