Hotel Bar Wine, Exactly What You'd Expect
Southwest Sioux Falls (Lake Lorraine area) · Sioux Falls · Casual American bar bites and light fare · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 20, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list here is essentially a grocery store shelf translated into a hotel bar menu — familiar labels, safe choices, nothing that requires a second look. It exists to serve travelers who want a glass of something recognizable after a long drive, and it does exactly that, no more. If you came in hoping to discover something, adjust expectations now.
Eight to twelve bottles covering California and New Zealand, anchored by the kind of brands you've seen on every airport menu from here to Newark. There's no regional curiosity, no attempt to reach beyond the supermarket tier, and no evidence that anyone putting this list together thought much about it past 'what do people already know.' California Cabernet and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc cover the two poles and that's basically the whole story. The gaps — anything from France, Italy, Spain, or even a domestic Pinot worth mentioning — aren't gaps so much as a deliberate decision to not try.
Four to six pours available, priced between $8 and $12, which sounds reasonable until you consider what's in the glass. These are bottles retailing for $10–$14, so the markup math isn't kind. Rotation appears nonexistent — this is a set-it list that probably hasn't changed since the hotel opened.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc — $10
If you're drinking here, this is the move. It's a known quantity — crisp, citrusy, hard to mess up — and at the lower end of the glass price range it's the least-bad value on offer.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Not hidden, not a gem, but in the context of this list it's genuinely the most food-friendly and consistent pour available. Order it cold and don't overthink it.
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
At hotel bar markup, you're paying $10–$12 for a bottle that retails around $12. Josh Cellars is fine on a Tuesday at home; it's not worth the math here when a cocktail would cost about the same and require less disappointment.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc + bar snacks or light appetizers
The bright acidity and clean finish cut through anything salty or fried they're putting out at the lobby bar. It's the one pairing on this list that actually makes sense.
❌ The Bottom Line
This is a lobby bar wine list at a business hotel — it was never trying to be more than that, and it isn't. Grab a beer or a cocktail, save the wine for dinner somewhere in town.
Downtown Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls · Hotel Restaurant / American
This is a wine list for people who aren't thinking about wine, and that's fine — the Holiday Inn City Centre isn't trying to be a wine destination. Order the Ste. Michelle Riesling, skip everything else, and save the real drinking for somewhere else in Sioux Falls.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Southwest Sioux Falls (Empire Mall/85th & Western corridor) · Sioux Falls · Upscale American Steakhouse
Morrie's is a reliable steakhouse wine list in a city where that already puts it near the top of the pack — the Coravin program shows genuine ambition, but the core list plays it too safe to earn anything beyond a confident recommendation for a special-occasion dinner. Come for the Tomahawk, drink the Zinfandel, skip the house Chardonnay.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
South Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls · Italian · Steakhouse
Spezia is a reliable dinner option in Sioux Falls if you want a recognizable bottle with a nice steak and no surprises. Just don't expect the wine list to challenge you — it's here to comfort, not to excite.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown – Empire Mall area · Sioux Falls · American and Sushi
CRAVE is the rare hotel restaurant wine list that clears the bar rather than crawling under it — the by-the-glass selection is better than the room deserves, even if the markups could use some recalibration. Send a friend here for wine? Sure, as long as they're not expecting to geek out.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Sioux Falls · Mexican, Enchilada-Focused
Mama's Ladas is a great little spot for enchiladas — the wine list just isn't why you're here, and it doesn't try to be. Order the sangria, enjoy your meal, and save the serious wine for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls · Seafood · Chain
Red Lobster's wine list is chain-restaurant boilerplate — it exists so the menu can say 'wine' and nothing more. Order a cocktail, drink water, or bring a flask: the food can be fun, but the wine program is completely on autopilot.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.