Ski Town Glamour With an Australian Twist
· Aspen · Japanese-Peruvian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed September 26, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Nobu Aspen’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Nobu Aspen is leaner than the brand's reputation might suggest — 70 labels, 20 by-the-glass options — but there's a clear editorial voice here, and it leans hard into Australian producers in a way you absolutely don't see coming at a Japanese-Peruvian concept in the Colorado Rockies. It's compact, it's curated, and it's priced like Aspen.
The bottle list spans $80 to a jaw-dropping $18,500, which tells you exactly what kind of mountain town you're in. What's genuinely interesting, though, is the disproportionate commitment to Australian wine: Swinney Grenache, Bass River Gamay, Stonier Pinot Noir, Demi by Syrahmi Shiraz, Higher Plane Malbec — these aren't supermarket names, and they signal someone with actual taste assembled this list. The whites get some love too, with Domaine Laroche Chablis St Martin and Pewsey Vale The Contours Riesling 2018 adding Old World credibility. Gaps exist — Italy and Spain are barely present, and there's no serious red Burgundy or Barossa depth — but for 70 labels, the hits land.
Twenty pours by the glass is a generous program, and the range is legitimately wide: bubbles, whites, rosé, reds, sweet, and fortified all get their own section, which is more structural discipline than most restaurants bother with. Prices run $14 to $48 per glass, and while Aspen real estate costs are real, a $48 glass of Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Blancs will still make you wince before you sip it. The sweet and fortified section — featuring T'Gallant Moscato, Seppeltsfield Para Grand Tawny, and the Nobu Hokusetsu Umeshu Plum Wine — is a genuinely fun closer that most wine lists don't attempt.
The Bottom Line
Nobu Aspen's wine list won't win awards for depth or value, but it earns respect for its unexpected Australian backbone and a by-the-glass program that actually has range and structure. If you're dropping serious money at this address anyway, lean into the Swinney Grenache or the Domaine Laroche Chablis — someone cared enough to put them there.
· Aspen · Seafood and Oyster Bar
Clark's Oyster Bar Aspen earns the Wild Card badge by doing something almost no oyster bar does: ditching the dry wine playbook entirely and building a focused, globally-sourced dessert wine list with real producers at fair prices. It's a bizarre and commendable choice. Come for the oysters, stay for the Madeira — just don't expect a Muscadet to wash them down.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aspen · Hotel dining
MOLLIE runs one of the most thoughtful compact lists in Aspen, and the all-by-the-glass format means you can drink your way through France without committing to a bottle. The pricing is fair for the altitude and the address, and the curation punches above a typical hotel program. If you're passing through and want a smart glass of wine without a thesis-length wine list, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aspen · Historic hotel dining
Hotel Jerome's Living Room list is a pleasant surprise in a market where hotel wine programs often coast on tourist ignorance and Famous Names. The selection is short but curated, with enough Old World intrigue — the Vajra Barbera, the Quintodecimo, the Bandol rosé — to reward the curious. Markups are real and Aspen-appropriate, so set your expectations accordingly. If you're staying at the hotel or catching a drink after a ski day, you'll drink well here without feeling insulted.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aspen · Italian
Mezzaluna's wine list is a missed opportunity in a town that could easily support something far more interesting. The markups are real — Santa Margherita at $64 and Joel Gott Cab at $60 are doing the heavy lifting on margin — and the selection never ventures beyond brands your parents recognize. If you're eating here, drink the Frescobaldi or the Ruffino Riserva and call it a night; don't expect the list to surprise you.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aspen · Seasonal New American
AspenX Beach Club is exactly what it advertises: a spectacle first, a wine program second. There's a sommelier on staff and the Champagne-and-rosé focus is at least intentional and coherent, but pricing at this address in this atmosphere is going to sting. Go for the experience, order something cold and bubbly, and don't stress about the list — that's clearly not the point.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aspen · Mountain American
Pine Creek Cookhouse is not a wine destination — it's an experience destination where the wine list exists to complement a genuinely special setting, and to its credit, it doesn't try to be more than that. The pricing is fair, the range covers the basics without embarrassing anyone, and the Gascon white alone is worth knowing about. Come for the mountain, stay for the sleigh ride, and don't overthink the wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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