Taos Institution Plays It Comfortably Safe
Bent Street / Historic District · Taos · Fine Dining / New American
Reviewed July 27, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Lambert's of Taos’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Lambert's feels exactly like the room it lives in — polished, reliable, and unlikely to surprise you. It's the kind of list that was designed to offend no one, and it mostly succeeds at that. California dominates, the names are recognizable, and the prices remind you that you're in a fine dining room in a tourist town.
Flowers, Duckhorn, Cakebread — these are the anchors of this list, and they tell you everything you need to know about who Lambert's is buying wine for. It's a greatest-hits collection of approachable California heavyweights, built for guests who want a name they recognize rather than a discovery. There's no real Old World presence to speak of, no natural wine flirtation, and no local New Mexico producers making an appearance — which is a genuine missed opportunity given how interesting wines like Gruet or Vivác have become. The list is coherent and competently assembled, just not ambitious.
We'd estimate 10 to 16 pours by the glass, which is a reasonable spread for this tier of restaurant. Don't expect rotating selections or half-glass options — this program runs on consistency, not creativity. The by-the-glass lineup likely mirrors the bottle list: safe California producers, a token white and rosé, and a red or two that most diners already know.
Flowers Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast — $60
Flowers is legitimately good wine — one of the more honest expressions of Sonoma Coast Pinot on any restaurant list. If the markup here is merely steep rather than criminal, it's the pick that actually delivers what you're paying for.
Duckhorn Merlot, Napa Valley
Merlot has spent two decades being unfairly punished for that Sideways scene, and Duckhorn is one of the producers that never stopped making serious versions of it. Most tables here will order the Pinot or the Cakebread; the Merlot gets ignored and that works in your favor.
Cakebread Chardonnay, Napa Valley
Cakebread is fine — it's just that you can find it at every steakhouse, hotel bar, and business dinner from here to Nashville. The restaurant premium on a wine this widely distributed rarely makes sense, and there's almost certainly a better Chardonnay story out there for the same money.
Flowers Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast + Pan-seared duck breast
Sonoma Coast Pinot and duck is not a revelation — it's a classic for a reason. The earthy, red-fruit character of Flowers holds up to the richness of duck without steamrolling it, and at Lambert's this is one of the few pairings where the wine list and the kitchen are genuinely working together.
The Bottom Line
Lambert's is a reliable dinner destination in Taos, and the wine list won't ruin your night — but it won't make it either. Send a friend here for the elk tenderloin; tell them to order the Duckhorn and not overthink it.
· Taos · German
The Bavarian's wine program is an afterthought in a setting that deserves better. If you're here, drink the Glühwein, enjoy the view, and save the wine conversation for dinner back in town.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Taos · Contemporary American
NOSA is doing something genuinely rare: curating a short, smart, globally curious wine list in a place where no one would expect it. The pricing is fair, the picks are specific, and the list has a clear point of view. If you're driving through Taos and care about what's in your glass, this is the room to be in.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Taos · Contemporary American
medley. has no business running a wine list this considered in a small New Mexico mountain town, and yet here we are. Pricing is fair across the board, the selection leans curious over commercial, and the rosé section alone is worth the visit. If you're in Taos and care about what's in your glass, this is where you eat.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northside / Paseo del Pueblo Norte · Taos · Burger / American
Come for the burgers — seriously, people love them — but manage your wine expectations hard. This list is a placeholder, not a program, and you're paying convenience store wine prices at restaurant markups.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Taos Plaza Alley · Taos · Mexican bar & grill
We would never send anyone to The Alley Cantina specifically for the wine, but we'd absolutely send them for the vibe — and if you hit that 5–7pm happy hour, a $5 glass of Porto while a band tunes up is one of Taos's more charming small pleasures. The Wild Card badge isn't for the list quality; it's for the unexpected delight of finding Warre's Warrior in a cantina that also has a pool table.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Taos · Steakhouse
Martyrs is punching above its weight class for a steakhouse in Taos — the Italian selections alone make it worth a look. The markups are real and the pricing on the classics is aggressive, but if you order smart, this list rewards you.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport · Fine Dining / New American
Castle Hill's wine list is a quiet overachiever in a setting that could easily get away with doing far less. The by-the-glass depth is real, the format variety is a genuine bonus, and the Lustau Fino alone justifies scanning the list carefully. Prices trend steep as you'd expect from a waterfront inn, but the curation earns some goodwill — just don't autopilot to the Cabernet.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Monterey · Fine Dining / New American
Foray's wine list is the rare kind that rewards the curious and doesn't punish the budget-conscious — a Picpoul at $15 and Krug at $195 can coexist on the same list without the whole thing feeling schizophrenic. The eclectic regional reach, fair markups, and genuinely unusual picks like the Armenian Yacoubian-Hobbs earn this a Wild Card badge: it's not the deepest list on the Central Coast, but it's easily the most interesting one in Monterey. If you care about what's in your glass, this is the right room.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Proper
· Medford · Fine Dining / New American
Alchemy is doing something genuinely interesting in Southern Oregon — a sparkling-centric wine program with real depth and fair pricing that you wouldn't necessarily expect to find in Medford. If bubbles are your language, this list is worth the trip.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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