Cold Oysters, Cold Beer, Decent Wine
South Durango · Durango · American, Cajun & Creole, Southern Barbecue, Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Highway 3 Roadhouse & Oyster Bar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Highway 3 arrives as a short footnote to what is clearly a beer-and-oysters operation, and that's basically fine. Seventeen labels, prices that don't make you wince, and a vibe that makes it obvious nobody here is sweating the vintage on their Malbec. This is a roadhouse — act accordingly.
Seventeen labels is a lean card by any measure, and the list doesn't try to hide what it is: accessible domestic whites up front, a handful of approachable reds in the back. Sur De Los Andes Malbec and J Lohr Fog's Reach Pinot Noir are the most recognizable names with any real identity; the rest are house pours you've seen at airport bars. There's no old-world presence to speak of, no rosé worth flagging, and zero ambition to push into anything adventurous. What's here is functional — built for people who want something cold and white with a dozen oysters, which is a perfectly respectable goal.
Six to eight by-the-glass options keep things simple, priced between $8 and $12 a pour. The spread skews white and light, which makes sense when raw oysters are the headliner. Rotation appears nonexistent — this list looks like it hasn't changed since the place opened, and probably won't before it closes.
Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay — $45/bottle
At $45, this is the most recognizable quality producer on the list at a price that doesn't feel punishing. Sonoma Cutrer's Russian River Ranches retails around $22-25, so the markup is steep-ish but not offensive by restaurant standards — and it's the best white on the menu to match the oyster program.
Sur De Los Andes Malbec
At $10.50 a glass or $37 a bottle, this Argentine Malbec is the dark horse for anyone ordering smoked brisket or a barbecue plate. Nobody walks into a roadhouse oyster bar thinking about Malbec, but it works surprisingly well against the char and spice on the meat side of the menu.
Kendall Jackson Chardonnay
KJ Vintner's Reserve retails for around $14 and shows up here at $17 a glass or $55 a bottle. That's a 4x markup on one of the most mass-produced Chardonnays in America. The Sonoma Cutrer is sitting right next to it at $45 a bottle and is a meaningfully better wine. Don't do it.
Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay + Grilled Oysters
Grilled oysters pick up smoke and brine in equal measure, and a full-bodied California Chardonnay with some oak backbone holds its ground where a lighter white would get steamrolled. This is the move.
✔️ The Bottom Line
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.
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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