Latigo Ranch
Cowboys and Cabernet in the Colorado Rockies
Kremmling · Kremmling · American, French · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 11, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You're at 9,000 feet elevation on a working guest ranch, and there's a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence on the wall — that alone earns a double take. The list is compact but curated, leaning hard into California heavyweights and a genuinely interesting Madeira section that nobody at the ranch is going to ask for but absolutely should. This isn't a wine destination, but it's trying harder than any barn-adjacent dining room has any right to.
Selection Deep Dive
The California focus makes sense here — big, structured reds that can hold their own against elk and rack of lamb at altitude. Caymus Cabernet, Jordan Cabernet, and Stag's Leap anchor the red side with names that guests recognize and trust, while Far Niente Chardonnay gives the white section some genuine credibility. The Madeira program — Blandy's and Broadbent both represented — is the real wildcard, and it's clearly a deliberate choice rather than an afterthought. Gaps exist: don't come looking for Burgundy, Rhône, or anything from the southern hemisphere.
By the Glass
The by-the-glass program runs 8-15 options, which is respectable for a remote ranch property where most guests are pouring around a communal dinner table after a day on horseback. We'd expect the California stalwarts to dominate the pours, with rotation that's more seasonal-lodge than weekly-dynamic. A solid enough lineup that you're not stuck nursing a mystery house red all evening.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $60
Jordan consistently punches above its price class, and at a ranch property in the middle of nowhere Colorado, getting it at or near retail feels like a genuine win. Order it with the beef tenderloin and don't look back.
Broadbent Madeira
Most guests at Latigo are going to default to another pour of Cab and call it a night — that's a mistake. Broadbent's Madeira is one of the most food-versatile, conversation-starting bottles on any list, and finding it at a Colorado guest ranch is genuinely unexpected. Try it after dinner with something rich or just sip it fireside.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is perfectly drinkable but it's also everywhere, overexposed, and almost always marked up aggressively on restaurant lists. With Jordan and Stag's Leap on the same menu, there are better California Cab options here that offer more character for the spend.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Colorado Rack of Lamb
Stag's Leap brings classic Napa structure — dark fruit, firm tannins, good acidity — that holds up to the gamey richness of Colorado lamb without steamrolling it. It's the kind of pairing that reminds you why California Cab became famous in the first place.
🎲 The Bottom Line
For a ranch in the Rockies that's more trail ride than tasting room, Latigo earns its Wine Spectator hardware honestly — the Madeira selection alone makes it worth exploring. We wouldn't drive here for the wine list, but if you're already there, you're in better hands than you'd expect.
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