Great Beer Town, Wine Gets Left Behind
Downtown · Anchorage · Craft Brewery & Wood-Fired Cuisine · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 17, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walk in for the beer — and that's probably the right call. The wine list at Glacier Brewhouse feels like an afterthought stapled to the back of an otherwise solid craft brewery menu. What you get is a collection of familiar, safe names that nobody had to think too hard about.
The list leans heavily on California and Pacific Northwest workhorses, with a few token international entries to round things out. Rombauer Chardonnay, Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Portillo Malbec — these are wines you've seen at every chain steakhouse from here to Tampa. There's a nod to Alsace with the Hugel Pinot Gris and a decent Italian entry in Jermann, but neither feels intentional so much as accidental. No real depth, no interesting producers, no reason to explore beyond the first page.
We don't have a confirmed by-the-glass count, but based on the list composition, expect the usual suspects poured in rotation with zero surprises. If they're rotating anything, there's no evidence of it — this reads like a static, set-it-and-forget-it program. Order the house IPA instead.
Jermann Pinot Grigio Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2022 — $45.95
At 84% markup it's still the most defensible pick on the list — Jermann is a serious Friuli producer and this is a genuinely good Pinot Grigio, not a grocery store filler. For Anchorage pricing, it's about as close to fair as this list gets.
Hugel Pinot Gris Alsace 2020
Most people at a brewhouse aren't reaching for Alsatian Pinot Gris, which is exactly why you should. Hugel is a legitimate, century-old Alsace house and this wine has the body and richness to stand up to wood-fired dishes. Overpriced at $65.95, yes — but it's the most interesting bottle on an otherwise forgettable list.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand 2023
A 200% markup on a $20 retail wine is genuinely hard to defend. Kim Crawford is fine, but it's airport wine — you can grab it at any Costco for pocket change. At $59.95 here, you're paying for the novelty of drinking it in Alaska. Pass.
Hugel Pinot Gris Alsace 2020 + Fresh Alaska Halibut
Alsatian Pinot Gris has the weight and slight richness to complement halibut without bulldozing it — and unlike a heavy California Chardonnay, it won't fight the fish. It's the one pairing on this list that actually makes sense.
❌ The Bottom Line
Glacier Brewhouse is a legitimately great spot for craft beer and Alaskan seafood — the wine list, however, is a monument to minimal effort and aggressive markups. Drink the beer, enjoy the halibut, and don't let anyone talk you into the Kim Crawford.
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
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.