Napa Greatest Hits, Hotel Prices, Great Views
Gaylord Rockies / DIA Corridor · Aurora · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Old Hickory Steakhouse at Gaylord Rockies’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Old Hickory reads exactly like you'd expect from a resort steakhouse attached to a convention center — heavy on California Cabernet, comfortable with Napa name recognition, and priced for a corporate expense account. There's nothing surprising here, but the execution is polished enough that you won't feel cheated if someone else is paying.
This is a California-forward list built around the steakhouse canon: Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Duckhorn, and Opus One are the tent poles, and the list doesn't stray far from that Napa-Sonoma comfort zone. Bordeaux likely makes a cameo but the depth outside of American Cab is thin — don't come here hunting for a grower Champagne or a Barolo. It's a list that was designed to satisfy the conference crowd and anniversary dinners simultaneously, which means it succeeds on familiarity rather than discovery. If you already know what you like and it's a California red, you'll land fine.
Expect 12 to 20 pours in the $15–$30 range, skewing toward the same recognizable names that anchor the bottle list. Rotation appears minimal — this is a set-and-forget program rather than one that cycles in seasonal or adventurous picks. You're not going to find anything surprising by the glass, but the standards will be properly stored and correctly served.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $60–$80 (estimated bottle)
Jordan is the most honest bottle on a list like this — consistently well-made Alexander Valley Cab that doesn't need a Napa zip code to justify its price. On a steakhouse list dominated by bigger markups, it's the one that keeps the math reasonable while still drinking like a proper special-occasion wine.
Duckhorn Merlot
Everyone at the table is going to order Cabernet, and that's fine. But Duckhorn's Napa Merlot is genuinely excellent — structured, plummy, and built for red meat — and gets overlooked every time Silver Oak is on the same list. It usually comes in at a softer price point too, which doesn't hurt.
Opus One
Opus One is a great wine. It is not a great wine at hotel steakhouse markup. By the time a resort adds its margin on top of an already premium bottle, you're deep into territory where the price is paying for the name on the label more than what's in the glass. Save it for somewhere that treats it like a treasure, not a transaction.
Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon + Prime Ribeye
Silver Oak's Alexander Valley Cab is soft enough on the tannins that it doesn't fight a well-marbled ribeye — it leans into the fat and char rather than clashing with it. It's the most crowd-pleasing version of the classic steakhouse pairing on this list, and the staff will know exactly what you're ordering.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Old Hickory is a reliable steakhouse wine program that knows its audience and doesn't try to be anything else — if you're here for a celebration dinner or a work dinner on someone's card, the California hits list will do its job. Just go in with eyes open on the pricing, and let Jordan or Duckhorn do the heavy lifting instead of reaching straight for Opus.
Stanley Marketplace · Aurora · Oyster Bar / New American
Traveling Mercies is a Wild Card in the best way: an oyster bar inside a marketplace that built a wine list with actual conviction. It's not deep, but it's smart, and smart beats deep when you're eating shellfish in Aurora.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Gaylord Rockies / Gateway Park · Aurora · Steakhouse, American
Old Hickory is a reliable, well-run resort steakhouse wine program — sommelier on staff, proper glassware, wines stored correctly — but it's built for comfort, not discovery. Send a friend here if they want a guaranteed good glass with a great steak; send someone else if they're looking to find something new.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Meadow Hills / South Parker Road · Aurora · New American
Cody's isn't a wine destination and it has no interest in being one — but the list is priced fairly, the pours are recognizable, and there's just enough personality (Baja Tanga, we see you) to keep it from being completely forgettable. Send a friend here if they want wine with dinner, not wine as the reason for dinner.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Southlands · Aurora · American
BJ's Southlands is a perfectly fine place to drink a craft beer, and we mean that sincerely — lean into the thing they actually care about. The wine list is a national chain template on autopilot, marked up past its worth, with zero local character and no sign of anyone tending the program with any intention.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Aurora City Center · Aurora · Pizza / American
Old Chicago Aurora is a perfectly fine place to watch a game and eat pizza — just order a beer like everyone else. The wine list exists to check a box, not to enhance your meal, and no amount of J. Lohr is going to change that.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Southeast Aurora · Aurora · Italian-American
Olive Garden's wine program exists to check a box, not to enhance your dinner. Order the Chianti, eat the breadsticks, and save your wine budget for somewhere that's actually trying.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
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
Downtown · Aspen · Steakhouse
Catch Steak Aspen earns its stripes with a genuinely impressive, well-curated list backed by a sommelier who clearly did the work — just know you're paying Aspen prices for the privilege. If someone else is buying, order freely; if you're watching the tab, stick to the French glass pours and call it a win.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Waterfront · Hood River · Steakhouse
Riverside Grill is a perfectly decent place to drink wine if you're also there for the ribeye and the river view — just don't come expecting the list to match the scenery. Order the Pinot Gris, watch the kiteboarders, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere else in Hood River.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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