Pacific Northwest Pride, Wednesday Changes Everything
South Perry · Spokane · New American
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Indigo Kitchen’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 Indigo Kitchen lands exactly where you'd expect from a polished downtown hotel brasserie — 75 labels leaning hard into Pacific Northwest and California, with enough range to keep things interesting without overwhelming you. It's not trying to be a wine bar, but it's clearly not phoning it in either. The river views help.
The list is anchored solidly in the Pacific Northwest, with Washington and Oregon producers doing the heavy lifting alongside a California contingent. You'll find familiar names like Columbia Crest and Cakebread alongside Willamette Valley Pinot, which is the right call for a Spokane crowd that wants recognizable quality. The depth tops out around 75 labels, which is respectable for a hotel restaurant — don't expect deep Burgundy or Barolo rabbit holes, but the regional story holds together. Gaps show up in international coverage; if you're hunting for something from the Rhône or Ribera del Duero, you're probably out of luck.
Twelve by-the-glass options is a solid count, priced $11–$18, and they're pulling from the same regional playbook as the bottle list. It's not a rotating-by-the-week program, but the pours are honest and the range covers the bases — white, red, and presumably a bubbly option or two. Nothing here is going to blow your mind, but you won't be stuck drinking bad wine by the glass either.
Columbia Crest H3 Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 — $48
At 71% over retail, this is the most restrained markup on the list and it's genuinely good Washington Cab — Horse Heaven Hills fruit, some structure, and a name people recognize. For a hotel restaurant bottle, $48 is hard to argue with.
Argyle Nuthouse Pinot Noir 2020
Most people at this table are going to reach for something they already know. Skip that instinct. Argyle's Nuthouse bottling is Oregon Pinot punching well above its price tier — earthy, red-fruited, and more interesting than anything else on this list. Most guests walk right past it.
Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay 2021
At $72 a bottle, you're paying for the name recognition more than what's in the glass. Cakebread is fine Napa Chardonnay, but the 60% markup stings when better value exists elsewhere on this list. Unless someone at the table specifically asked for it, keep walking.
Argyle Nuthouse Pinot Noir 2020 + Dungeness Crab Cakes
Oregon Pinot and Dungeness crab is a Pacific Northwest love story. The Nuthouse has enough acidity to cut through the richness of the crab cakes without steamrolling the delicate flavor — it's the regional pairing this menu is quietly begging for.
Wednesday — Half-price bottles of wine all day Wednesday
The Bottom Line
Indigo Kitchen is a reliable wine play for downtown Spokane — fair-ish prices, a coherent Pacific Northwest focus, and a Wednesday half-price bottle deal that makes it genuinely worth planning around. Not destination wine drinking, but a solid companion to a good meal.
Kendall Yards · Spokane · Winery and craft distillery tasting room with small bites
Browne Family's Spokane room is a confident single-producer tasting experience done right — fair prices, knowledgeable pours, and a genuine case for why Washington State deserves your attention. Send a friend here if they think Washington wine is just an also-ran.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
West Downtown / Riverside · Spokane · Barbecue / American Tavern
The Blackbird is a genuinely good barbecue tavern that simply doesn't care about wine, and the steep markups on uninspired bottles make that indifference expensive. Come for the smoked meats and a cold beer — if you insist on wine, grab the Milbrandt and move on.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Fondue / Upscale Casual
The Melting Pot Spokane isn't a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — but the Washington State anchors on this list are genuinely good, and if you stick to those, you'll drink well enough for the occasion. Come for the fondue experience, order the Ste. Michelle, and save the serious wine night for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Hotel cocktail bar and lounge with small plates
1919 won't blow any minds, but for a hotel bar in downtown Spokane it earns genuine respect for keeping Washington State producers front and center. Come for the room, stay for the Beresan — just don't expect any surprises in the pricing.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Hotel Rooftop/Terrace Bar
The Grand Terrace Bar is a great place to drink wine in Spokane — just not necessarily great wine. Come for the skyline, order the Riesling, and save the serious bottle hunting for elsewhere.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Wine Bar
Barrister is a genuine Wild Card: a serious urban winery tucked into Spokane's rail district that most wine travelers blow past on their way to Walla Walla. If you're in eastern Washington and you haven't stopped here, you owe yourself a visit.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
7th Ave / Dolores · Carmel By The Sea · New American
Seventh & Dolores isn't a destination wine list, but it's a respectable one that at least knows where it is geographically. Come for the steak, order the Wrath, and don't expect to go down any rabbit holes.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail · Vail · New American
Vin48 is a genuinely surprising wine program hiding inside a Colorado ski resort, and if you're a wine-first diner passing through Vail, it absolutely warrants a stop. The markups reflect the zip code more than we'd like, but the depth and curation of the list are the real deal.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Solvang · Solvang · New American
Root 246 is the rare hotel restaurant that actually earns your wine attention — a focused Santa Barbara County list with real producers, a sommelier who knows the material, and pricing that doesn't punish you for being curious. If you're passing through Solvang wine country, this is where you eat.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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