Three Hundred Bottles of Serious Intent
Downtown · Boulder · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
A 300-bottle list in a Denver train hall is not something you expect to take seriously — and then you spot DRC and Thibaud Boudignon's 2014 Anjou Blanc sharing real estate on the same menu. This is not an afterthought wine program. Someone here gives a damn.
The list leans heavily into the Loire Valley, which tells you everything about the philosophy: acid-driven, terroir-focused, food-friendly wines that reward curiosity over clout-chasing. Boudignon's Anjou Blanc alone signals that the buyer is paying attention to the right corners of France. And then there's Poggio del Sotto representing Brunello with genuine pedigree — this isn't a list padding its depth with Antinori and calling it Italian. The jump from grower Loire to DRC suggests a wide price corridor that serves both the budget-conscious and the occasion drinker without condescending to either.
Glass pours clock in around $18, which is on the higher end for Denver but makes sense given the caliber of the cellar behind it. We don't have the full by-the-glass lineup, but if the bottle list is any indication, you're not getting Meiomi by the glass here. We'd lean on the staff to walk you through what's currently open — that's exactly what they're there for.
2014 Anjou Blanc, Thibaud Boudignon — $18/glass
Boudignon is one of the most respected names in the Loire right now, and finding his Anjou Blanc on a glass pour program in Colorado is the kind of thing that makes wine people do a double take. Drink it.
Poggio del Sotto Brunello di Montalcino
Most people scroll past Brunello on a wine list because they assume it needs a decade in a cellar to be approachable. Poggio del Sotto makes wines that reward patience but don't demand it — and it's flying under the radar next to the Loire and Burgundy anchors on this list.
DRC
Look, it's incredible wine. But if you're sitting in a Denver train hall debating whether to drop what DRC costs on a bottle, the answer is probably no. The rest of this list gives you 90% of the pleasure for a fraction of the price — save DRC for a dedicated occasion somewhere with a longer table.
2014 Anjou Blanc, Thibaud Boudignon + Ask your server for the current fish or vegetable-forward entrée
Boudignon's Chenin Blanc has the kind of textured, mineral acidity that cuts through richness and amplifies anything bright on the plate. It's a white wine that acts like a seasoning.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Mercantile is doing something rare: running a serious, sommelier-driven wine program inside a casual-leaning New American restaurant without making you feel like you need a sport coat to order. If you care about wine and you're in Denver, this list is worth your time.
University Hill · Boulder · Spanish- and Moroccan-inspired tapas and small plates
Cafe Aion's wine list is solidly built around its concept, and the daily 50% off bottles deal from 3pm to close is one of the most generous standing wine programs in Boulder — full stop. The markups at full price are steep enough to give you pause, so do yourself a favor and show up before dinner.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Baseline / CU South · Boulder · Brewpub / American
Boulder Social is a solid neighborhood hangout where beer is the move and wine is an afterthought priced accordingly. If it's Tuesday, half-price bottles change the math — otherwise, stick to the taps.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Pearl Street · Boulder · Italian
Via Perla isn't trying to be a wine destination — it's trying to be a great Italian osteria, and the wine list serves that goal honestly. Come for the pasta and the Barolo, don't overthink it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Williams Village / Baseline · Boulder · Italian
Carelli's is a dependable neighborhood Italian with a wine list that matches its ambition — comfortable and crowd-pleasing, not adventurous. Send your friend here if they want a nice Italian night and a bottle of Antinori; steer them elsewhere if they're hoping to find something they've never tried before.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Pearl Street · Boulder · Spanish-inspired, wood-fired cuisine and tapas with Mediterranean influences
Gemini is the kind of place Boulder doesn't have enough of — a restaurant where the wine list actually reflects the food and the region it's inspired by. If you eat Spanish, you should be drinking Iberian, and Gemini makes that case effortlessly.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Goss-Grove · Boulder · Argentinian / Latin American
Rincon Argentino is a genuinely good casual spot for Argentine food, but the wine list is a missed opportunity — overpriced supermarket bottles with no rotation, no discovery, and no apparent effort. Grab a glass with your empanadas, but don't build a night around the wine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Broadway corridor · Fort Wayne · New American
Rune is doing something genuinely rare for its zip code: building a wine list with a real identity. Come on a Wednesday, order the Ovum, and feel good about finding a place like this.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
West Plano · Plano · New American
CraftWay Kitchen isn't trying to be a wine destination and doesn't pretend to be — but the markups are fair, the glass program is wide, and there's enough on the list to drink well with a solid meal. Send your friends here for dinner; just don't send them here for a wine education.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Clemmons · Winston Salem · New American
Sixty Vines is a solid, reliable wine stop in Winston-Salem — the by-the-glass breadth is real and the staff knows their stuff, but the list reads like a greatest hits album rather than anything adventurous. Come for the volume, stay for the pizza, but don't expect to have your mind changed about wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.