Napa Heavy, Surprisingly Solid in Southern Utah
St. George · Seasonal · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · May 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Painted Pony Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Painted Pony, the candlelit Southwestern vibe hits you first — this is clearly the nicest place within miles to drink a serious bottle of wine. The list leans hard into California heavyweights, which tracks: this is St. George, Utah, not the West Village, and the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence they've held since 2018 signals someone here actually cares. Sommelier John Delaney is behind the program, and that accountability shows.
The list reads like a greatest hits of California — Caymus, Silver Oak, Cakebread, Duckhorn, Jordan, Rombauer — names your parents recognize and your wine-savvy friend tolerates. There's not much adventure here in terms of Old World depth or esoteric picks, but within the California lane, the curation is competent and the producers are reliable. Orin Swift's Abstract and The Prisoner show up for the crowd that wants something bold and approachable without committing to a single grape. Don't come here hoping to find a Jura Poulsard or a Sicilian Nerello — this list knows its audience and plays to it.
By-the-glass specifics weren't available during our research, but with a program of this size and a credentialed sommelier running the room, you can reasonably expect a handful of California-focused pours covering the Chard-to-Cab spectrum. We'd ask John what's currently open — that's always the move when someone knowledgeable is actually in the building.
Jordan Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2019 — $70
Jordan consistently overdelivers for the price point at retail, and at $70 on a restaurant list in Utah it's one of the more approachable options on the menu. Crisp, food-friendly, and won't drain your wallet before the entrée arrives.
Orin Swift "Abstract" Red Blend 2020
Most tables here are ordering the Caymus or Silver Oak on autopilot. Abstract — a Grenache-forward Rhône-style blend — is more interesting than its flashy label suggests, and at $86 it's priced below the big Napa Cabs while drinking in the same conversation.
Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2017
At $185, you're paying a significant premium for a bottle that retails around $70-75. Silver Oak is a great wine, but this markup is hard to justify when you can pop it at home for less than half the price. Save the splurge for something you can't easily find on a shelf.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot Napa Valley 2019 + Pepper-crusted filet mignon
Duckhorn Merlot has the structure and dark fruit weight to stand up to a peppery sear without overpowering the beef's natural richness. It's a more elegant move than reaching straight for the Cabernet, and at $95 it's one of the more reasonably positioned bottles on the list.
The Bottom Line
Painted Pony is the best wine program in the room — literally, for miles around — and John Delaney's presence keeps it from becoming just another hotel-lobby Cab list. The markups sting and the selection won't surprise anyone, but in Southern Utah, this is where you go when you want a real bottle with a real dinner.
· St. George · European / New American
Cosmopolitan Grill is doing more with wine than almost anyone else in St. George, and for a special-occasion dinner in southern Utah, that clears the bar comfortably. We'd love to see them lean into the Central European menu with some old-world wildcards — until then, it's a reliable pour in a town where that's genuinely worth something.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· St. George · Greek / Mediterranean
Meraki is the rare fast-casual spot where the wine list actually makes you stop and think — the Greek producers alone justify a visit, and the depth-to-price ratio on the by-the-glass program is genuinely solid. Just don't spring for the prestige Champagne until they upgrade the stemware.
Surprising Depth
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· St. George · American / Bar & Grill
George's Corner isn't a wine destination, but it's not pretending to be one either — there are a few genuinely good bottles hiding in a list that otherwise leans on reliable names. Come for the food, drink the Broc Cellars Rosé or La Posta Malbec, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· St. George · Steakhouse
Switchback Grille made a weird, committed bet on an all-dessert wine list, and honestly? We respect it. If you're ending your meal here, you're in better hands than you'd expect from a steakhouse in St. George.
Small but Thoughtful
Acceptable
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Red Cliffs / East St. George · St. George · Steakhouse / BBQ Chain
Texas Roadhouse is a beer-and-a-bucket-of-bread situation, and the wine list knows it. Come for the ribs, order a Lone Star, and leave the wine to restaurants that care about it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Red Cliffs / East St. George · St. George · Steakhouse Chain
Outback St. George isn't in the wine business — it's in the steak business, and the wine list makes that abundantly clear. Order the Chateau Ste. Michelle if you must, but you'd honestly be better off with whatever's on draft.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Plymouth · Plymouth · Seasonal
Five Steakhouse is a dependable, well-kept California list that plays to its audience without apology — fair enough for a resort steakhouse in Plymouth, even if adventurous drinkers will want to look elsewhere. Send your Cab-loving friend here without hesitation; send the natural wine nerd with a cocktail recommendation instead.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Havre de Grace · Havre de Grace · Seasonal
The Vineyard Wine Bar is doing something genuinely surprising for a small Maryland waterfront town — a real wine list with real producers at fair prices, and a Wine Spectator stamp that's held since 2012 for good reason. Send a friend here, especially if they think good wine stops at the Baltimore city limits.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Penn Quarter · Washington · Seasonal
Dirty Habit is a genuinely fun room with a wine list that earns its Wine Spectator credential — just go in knowing the markups reflect the Penn Quarter zip code as much as the cellar quality. Sommelier Valeria Stukovnina is the real asset here; ask questions and let her steer.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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