Red Rocks Views, Serious Wine, No Apologies
Garden of the Gods · Colorado Springs · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list at Grand View and immediately understand that someone here — likely Jesse Murillo or Christopher Davis — takes this seriously. A 300-500 bottle list with a freshly minted Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence isn't an accident. The floor-to-ceiling windows framing Garden of the Gods in the background set expectations high, and the wine list mostly clears the bar.
The list leans hard into California, France, and Italy — the holy trinity for a resort restaurant that wants to impress without alienating. Napa heavyweights like Caymus, Silver Oak, Stag's Leap, and Jordan anchor the California section, with Opus One making an appearance for the tables celebrating something worth celebrating. France shows up credibly with Chateau Margaux and Louis Jadot Burgundy, and Italy gets proper respect with Gaja Barbaresco and Antinori Super Tuscans. If you're hunting for natural wine or obscure New World producers, you'll be disappointed — this list is built to reward confidence, not curiosity.
Twenty to forty glass pours is a genuinely strong program for Colorado Springs, and a resort of this caliber almost certainly rotates through some of its better bottles for guests who aren't ready to commit to a full bottle over dinner. We'd expect the by-the-glass selection to skew California-forward, which is fine when the California picks are this good. Ask your server what's pouring well tonight — with two knowledgeable sommeliers on staff, you'll get a real answer.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $40–$80 range
Jordan punches above its price class at most restaurants, and at a resort list stacked with Opus One and Silver Oak, it's the move for someone who wants proper Napa Cab without paying the celebrity tax. Ask for it.
Louis Jadot Burgundy
On a list dominated by California Cab, most guests skip straight past Burgundy. That's a mistake. Louis Jadot is a reliable, well-priced entry point into the Côte de Beaune or Côte de Nuits — and it holds its own next to the red rock views outside far better than another Cabernet would.
Opus One
Opus One is a trophy wine, and trophy wines at resort restaurants carry trophy markups. You're paying for the name on a list that already has Stag's Leap and Silver Oak doing the same job for less. Save it for a special occasion with a lower corkage fee somewhere else.
Gaja Barbaresco + Ribeye Steak
Gaja Barbaresco is one of the great beef wines on the planet — Nebbiolo's tar, roses, and firm tannins cut right through the fat of a well-marbled ribeye. It's a more interesting call than the obvious Napa Cab, and you'll remember it.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Grand View earns its Wine Spectator hardware — this is a serious, well-curated list backed by real sommelier talent in one of the more spectacular dining rooms in Colorado. The markups sting, but the setting and the depth of the list make it worth the splurge at least once.
Broadmoor · Colorado Springs · Steakhouse and American
La Taverne is a well-run, properly staffed wine program inside one of Colorado's most storied resort properties — expect to pay for the privilege and the setting. If you stick to Jordan and Peter Michael and resist the siren call of the trophy bottles, you'll drink very well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Broadmoor · Colorado Springs · Italian (Northern Italian, trattoria-style)
Ristorante del Lago is the rare resort restaurant where the wine program actually earns some respect — the Italian focus is real, the sommelier knows the list, and a few genuinely exciting bottles are hiding in there if you look past the marquee names. Just go in knowing you're paying Broadmoor prices, and order accordingly.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Colorado Springs · Colorado Springs · Steakhouse
Famous Steakhouse is the dependable old hand — the wine list won't excite you, but it won't embarrass you either, and with a prime rib in front of you and a Stag's Leap in the glass, that's a perfectly decent Thursday night. Just don't come looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Manitou Springs · Colorado Springs · Mexican / Tex-Mex
Crystal Park Cantina is a genuinely fun spot for tacos and margaritas with a mountain view — lean into that and skip the wine entirely. The list is overpriced grocery store inventory with no ambition, and no amount of scenery changes that.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Manitou Springs · Colorado Springs · Upscale American, Contemporary Fine Dining
The Cliff House wine program is the dependable friend who always shows up dressed well — you know exactly what you're getting, and it's genuinely good, even if it never blows your mind. For a special occasion in the mountains, this is a comfortable, well-run room that will take care of you.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown / West Colorado · Colorado Springs · Fine Dining / Steak & Seafood
Pepper Tree is a reliable wine stop for what it is — a classic Colorado fine-dining room where the tableside Steak Diane is the main event and the wine list is a well-behaved supporting cast. Don't come here chasing discovery, but do come knowing you'll drink decently without drama.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Southwest / Time Corners · Fort Wayne · American
Catablu is exactly what it needs to be for its neighborhood — a reliable, thoughtfully maintained list that won't embarrass you on a date night or bore you entirely. It's not a destination wine list, but it's a solid supporting act for a kitchen that clearly takes food seriously.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Otay Ranch Town Center · Chula Vista · American
BJ's is a fine place to drink a craft beer and eat a Pizookie. It is not a place to drink wine. Order a Brewhouse Blonde, skip the wine list entirely, and save your wine night for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SanTan Village · Gilbert · American
The Cheesecake Factory is a perfectly fine place to eat — the wine list just isn't a reason to go. Order a cocktail, split a bottle of Santa Margherita if you must, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
Crowd Pleasers
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.