Napa's Greatest Hits, Perfectly Cooked Beef
Gaylord Rockies / Gateway Park · Aurora · Steakhouse, American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Old Hickory Steakhouse’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Old Hickory, the wine list arrives looking like someone raided a Napa Valley gift shop — Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Far Niente, all present and accounted for. It's a polished, resort-steakhouse list that telegraphs exactly what it is before you turn the first page. Zero surprises, zero apologies.
The list runs 150-plus bottles and leans hard into California — Napa Cabs dominate, with Sonoma and the Pacific Northwest filling in the gaps. Bordeaux makes an appearance for the old-world contingent, but don't expect Burgundy rabbit holes or anything from the Southern Hemisphere. Producers like Duckhorn and Far Niente confirm this is a list built to reassure, not challenge — every label is a name a business traveler would recognize on an expense report. The bones are solid, but there's almost no adventure here.
The by-the-glass program runs 15 to 25 options, which is a respectable count for a hotel steakhouse. Expect the usual suspects — Cab, Chard, Merlot — represented by the same recognizable California names anchoring the bottle list. Rotation appears limited; this reads more like a static program than one someone tends to regularly.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — null
Jordan punches well above its price point in a lineup dominated by trophy Cabs. It's the most food-friendly bottle on this list — less extracted and more structured than Caymus — and in a resort context where everything trends expensive, it's the pick that won't make you wince at checkout.
Duckhorn Merlot
Everyone at this table is ordering Cabernet, which means the Duckhorn Merlot gets overlooked every single night. That's a mistake. Duckhorn's Merlot is one of the most consistent, well-priced bottles in American wine, and next to a prime steak it holds its own against bottles costing twice as much.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is fine wine that has been marked up into trophy-bottle territory at every resort steakhouse in America. You're paying for the name recognition, not the glass. The wine itself is soft, jammy, and crowd-pleasing — but at resort pricing, that's an expensive crowd-pleaser.
Far Niente Chardonnay + Oysters
Far Niente Chardonnay has the weight and richness to hold up to a raw bar without steamrolling it. The wine's restrained oak and bright acidity make it the rare bottle on this list that actually wants to sit next to something other than a ribeye.
The Bottom Line
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.
· Aurora · Wine Bar / Small Plates
PH1315 is doing something genuinely interesting for Aurora — a tight, Italian-accented glass-only list at prices that don't insult you. It's not a destination wine bar, but it's the kind of neighborhood spot that makes you glad it exists.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Southlands · Aurora · New American / Wine Bar
Wine Experience Cafe is the kind of place that earns its name in a neighborhood where most restaurants don't try at all. It's not a destination list, but it's an honest one — and in a shopping center in Aurora, that's worth celebrating.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aurora · Meadery Tasting Room
Dragon Meadery isn't a wine destination — it's something more interesting. If you send a friend here expecting Burgundy, they'll be lost; if you send them open-minded and curious, they'll probably come home with a bottle of something they've never tried before and can't stop talking about.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
· Aurora · Sinaloan / Mexican Seafood
Nobody walks into a Sinaloan seafood restaurant expecting Billecart-Salmon and Pieropan on the glass list, and that surprise is exactly what earns this place a Wild Card. If you're ordering from the sea side of the menu, the wine list here will actually help you — which is more than you can say for most restaurants twice the price point.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aurora · Mediterranean
Pita Central is here for the food, full stop — the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved seems fine with that. Order a beer or a soft drink and save the wine for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Greenwood Village · Aurora · Urban Winery
InVINtions is a genuine neighborhood wine spot in a market that doesn't have enough of them — the staff enthusiasm and approachable format make it worth a visit even if we can't pin down every bottle. Go with an open mind and a friend who likes to try things; you'll leave happy.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Acceptable
River Road · Gatlinburg · Steakhouse, American
The Peddler is a legitimately great steakhouse experience in a gorgeous setting, and the wine list is competent enough to get the job done — but it's a supporting cast, not a destination. Order the Jordan, get the steak, enjoy the river view, and don't expect the list to surprise you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Parkway · Gatlinburg · Steakhouse, American
Alamo Steakhouse is genuinely great at what it does — the oak-fired meats are the draw and they deliver. But the wine list is purely functional, overpriced for what it is, and built for tourists who aren't going to push back on a Kendall-Jackson upcharge. Come for the steak, order a bourbon, and save the wine enthusiasm for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lionshead · Vail · Steakhouse, American
Vail Chophouse is a dependable après-ski and dinner destination that plays its wine program straight down the middle — familiar names, steep but expected mountain-town pricing, and a list that won't let you down if you stick to the California Cabs. We'd send a friend here for the steak and the view, with a note to skip the Josh and go straight to Jordan.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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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