Napa-forward steakhouse list done right
Downtown · Durango · Steakhouse / American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ore House’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 Ore House reads exactly like you'd expect from a classic Western steakhouse — Caymus, Silver Oak, Rombauer front and center, and proud of it. There's no pretense here, which is honestly refreshing. This list was built to sell bottles alongside a 16-oz ribeye, and it does that job competently.
Fifty-two labels skewing hard toward Napa Cabernet and California reds, with supporting players from Bordeaux, Rhône, Burgundy, Italy, and Oregon's Willamette Valley rounding out the edges. The California bench is legitimately strong — Château Montelena Estate Cab, Frank Family's Winston Hill, Nickel & Nickel, and Duckhorn Merlot give serious drinkers something to land on. France shows up with a genuinely interesting outlier in the Château La Nerthe White Blend from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which is a small but encouraging sign someone thought beyond the obvious. Don't come here looking for natural wine, grower Champagne, or Jura — this list plays the hits and only the hits.
Nineteen by-the-glass options is a generous pour program for a mountain steakhouse, spanning $9 to $17 a glass. The range covers enough ground to get you from aperitif to dessert without forcing a bottle commitment, though the pours skew predictably toward crowd-pleasing California varietals. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority — this reads like a set-and-forget program rather than one that changes with the seasons.
Château Ste. Michelle 'Eroica' Riesling, Columbia Valley — $59
In a room full of $100+ Napa Cabs, this bottle stands out as an honest price for a genuinely excellent wine. Eroica is a collaboration with Ernst Loosen and punches well above its weight — bright, precise, and a smart foil to rich sauces or a fatty prime rib cut.
Château La Nerthe White Blend, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Most tables here are going straight for the Cabernet, which means this southern Rhône white is almost certainly getting ignored. That's a mistake. Châteauneuf blanc from La Nerthe is a serious, layered wine — Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne — and it's the most interesting bottle on a list that otherwise colors inside the lines.
Silver Oak Cabernet, Alexander Valley
At $223, you're paying a steep premium for a wine that retails around $70-$80. Silver Oak is a fine bottle — nobody's arguing that — but the markup here is aggressive, and at that price point you could be drinking the Château Montelena Estate Cab or the Frank Family Winston Hill for considerably less with arguably more to say for themselves.
Orin Swift 8 Years in the Desert Zinfandel + Prime Rib
The 8 Years is big, bold, and just fruit-forward enough to cut through the richness of a slow-roasted prime rib without steamrolling it. It's the kind of match that makes a classic steakhouse dinner feel like the whole point.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Ore House delivers a competent, Napa-centric wine list that matches the room and the menu without much ambition beyond that — the markups sting on the trophy bottles, but there are a few smart finds if you know where to look. Send a friend here for steak and the Eroica Riesling; tell them to skip the Silver Oak.
South Durango · Durango · American, Cajun & Creole, Southern Barbecue, Seafood
Highway 3 is not a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — which is half the charm. The list is short, the prices are mostly fair, and if you stick to the whites with the oysters you'll have a perfectly good time. Send your wine-obsessed friends somewhere else, but don't order a Bud Light just because the list is small.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Durango · Wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza
Fired Up Pizzeria's wine list is a workhorse, not a showpiece — it gets the job done without embarrassing anyone, but it won't give you a story to tell. Order the Sasyr, eat great pizza, and save the wine nerd energy for somewhere else in Durango.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Durango · Pizza / Bar
Ernie's is a pizza bar, and it's probably a good one — but the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved knows it. Drink the beer, eat the pizza, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Durango · Wine Bar
The Wine Loft at Seasons is doing more with 16 labels than a lot of places do with 60 — the Coravin access and a handful of legit producers make it worth a stop in Durango. It's not destination wine drinking, but it's a genuinely solid option when the mountain air has you ready for a good glass.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Durango · Contemporary Southwestern
Chimayo is a genuinely fun spot for food and atmosphere, but we wouldn't send anyone here specifically for the wine. Order strategically, lean on the Zinfandel if it's available, and let the kitchen do the talking.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown · Durango · Steakhouse and New American
636 Main is doing more with wine than most steakhouses at this altitude and zip code, and the Italian depth alone earns respect. The markups on the California classics will sting, but navigate toward the Rhône and Italian bottles and you'll drink very well in downtown Durango.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Atherton · State College · Steakhouse / American
Texas Roadhouse is not a wine destination and makes no pretense of being one — the food is the point, and the wine list is a legal obligation. Order a beer, enjoy the rolls, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Mall · Charlottesville · Steakhouse / American
Prime 109 is one of the best wine programs in Virginia, full stop — deep list, a sommelier who clearly curated it with intention, and picks that reward curiosity over brand recognition. The markup stings, but in a room this good, with bottles this interesting, you're probably going to forgive it.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Harrisburg · Steakhouse / American
1700 Degrees is a competent hotel steakhouse wine list — safe, somewhat steep, and unlikely to thrill anyone who cares deeply about what's in their glass. But if you're here for the beef and want something that won't embarrass the meal, it gets the job done.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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