Ski Town Glamour With an Australian Twist
· Aspen · Japanese-Peruvian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 26, 2026
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 · 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
· Aspen · French Bistro
Petit Trois Aspen earns its Wild Card badge by keeping the list lean, French-forward, and genuinely considered — rare for a resort-market restaurant where the wine list is usually an afterthought. The markups are real, and the glass prices climb steeply toward the top, but the Ajax Cellars Riesling and the Estezargue give you a reason to explore. If you're in town and want something with more personality than the usual Aspen lineup, this list delivers — just go in with your eyes open on price.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aspen · Global Asian
LoLa 41 Aspen plays it safe with a crowd-pleasing list that leans heavily on name recognition and a showstopper Champagne section built for Aspen-sized occasions. Markups are steep throughout, and the list won't surprise a serious wine drinker — but the by-the-glass program is functional and the Ken Wright Pinot Noir is legitimately good value for the altitude. Go in knowing what you want, or let the bubbles section do the thinking for you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Aspen · Cafe / Wine-Friendly
This is a Wild Card in the truest sense — a museum rooftop café with no sommelier and steep markups that still manages to stock Lapierre, William Fevre Grand Cru, and Pierre Peters. The prices will get you, but the list itself deserves credit. Come for the view, stay for the Gruner.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / The Little Nell · Aspen · Wine Bar / Lounge
Element 47 is the rare mountain resort wine program that could hold its own in any major city — 3,300 labels, proper storage, knowledgeable staff, and glassware that actually fits the wine. Prices are high because Aspen is high, but if you're going to spend serious money on a bottle somewhere, this is a place that respects the investment.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Aspen · Bar / Mexican
Las Montañas is the rare bar where the wine list deserves more attention than the cocktail menu — a sommelier-curated, California-forward selection with enough Pacific Northwest surprises to keep things interesting. Aspen markups are what they are, but the quality and intentionality here are real.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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