Taos Hides a Quietly Serious Wine List
· Taos · Contemporary American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 26, 2026
RagingWine reviewed medley.’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Thirty-six labels isn't a lot to work with, but medley. makes every slot count. The list reads like someone actually thought about it — bubbles, crisp whites from four continents, a rosé section that goes well beyond the expected, and reds that lean lean and food-friendly rather than big and obvious. For Taos, this is quietly impressive.
The white wine section alone earns respect: Zarate Albariño from Rías Baixas, Samuel Billaud Chablis, a Pikes Riesling from Clare Valley, Argiolas Vermentino from Sardinia, and an Emile Beyer Pinot Blanc from Alsace. That's not a wine list assembled by a distributor rep on a Tuesday — someone here has taste. The rosé section punches above its weight too, with a Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Rosé sitting alongside a Maçanita Touriga Nacional from the Douro and a Côtes du Rhône from Sablet. Reds are leaner — the Niepoort Nat Cool and a Cuevas de Arom Garnacha from Calatayud round out a short but considered selection — but this is clearly a white-and-rosé-forward list, which suits the cuisine.
Seven pours by the glass is modest but workable. The Talley Chardonnay from San Luis Obispo Coast is available at $43/glass, and the Taittinger Brut Réserve clocks in at $77/glass — both reasonable for what they are. The J Vignier Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs at $169/glass is the outlier, but that's a 2010 vintage prestige Champagne, so the price has a defensible logic behind it.
The Bottom Line
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.
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
Northside / Historic Chapel · Taos · Northern New Mexican, organic, locally sourced
The Love Apple is a Wild Card in the best possible way — a tiny organic wine list in a centuries-old adobe chapel that somehow makes more sense than most dedicated wine bars. If you're a Pinot person with a soft spot for biodynamic producers, this is your kind of detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Bent Street / Historic District · Taos · Fine Dining / New American
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.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Ledoux Street Arts District · Taos · Wine Bar / Mediterranean
Barra Vino is the kind of place that earns its reputation quietly — a small, smart list in an unexpected location, priced fairly, with enough personality to make the wine the point of the evening. If you're in Taos and care about what's in your glass, Ledoux Street is where you should be.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Evanston · Contemporary American
Chef's Station earns its Reliable badge the honest way: a sommelier who cares, a list with actual regional perspective, and a room where drinking something good feels like the obvious move. It's not a destination wine list, but it's a trustworthy one.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Beaver Creek Plaza · Vail · Contemporary American
Golden Eagle Inn is the kind of reliable mountain wine list that won't embarrass you on a date or a client dinner, but it'll charge you for the altitude at every turn. The Brunello and the Bouchard Beaune are genuine bright spots — find those, skip the Veuve, and you'll have a good night.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail Village · Vail · Contemporary American
Sweet Basil is the best wine list in Vail by a wide margin — 400 bottles, a real Cruvinet program, and a sommelier who put actual thought into the selections. The markups sting, but that's mountain dining; the quality justifies the trip.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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