Old-school Colorado Springs done right
Downtown / West Colorado · Colorado Springs · Fine Dining / Steak & Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 14, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Pepper Tree feels exactly like the restaurant itself — classic, unhurried, and built for someone celebrating a birthday or an anniversary rather than hunting down a grower Champagne. It's not trying to surprise you, and that's both the charm and the limitation. What you see is a tidy, California-forward list that holds up its end of the deal for a $50 steak dinner.
California dominates here — Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay and Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc anchor the white side, which tells you everything about the target audience. There's a nod to Italy with Kettmeir Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige and a Rioja rosé from Sierra Cantabria that genuinely earns its spot, but the list doesn't stray far from the familiar. Reds are where the data gets thin — we know the whites well, and the red selection likely mirrors the same crowd-pleaser playbook. The occasional Mollydooker wine dinner partnership suggests there's at least one person in the building with real wine curiosity, even if the permanent list doesn't fully reflect it.
Eight to fourteen pours is a respectable range for a steakhouse of this size, priced between $10 and $18 a glass. The Alias Chardonnay at the lower end gives casual drinkers an easy entry point, while Cakebread by the glass is a reliable crowd-closer for the celebration crowd. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority — what's on the list feels like it's been on the list for a while.
Kettmeir Pinot Grigio (Alto Adige) — $12
Alto Adige Pinot Grigio is a different animal from the flat, neutral stuff — it's crisp, mineral, and actually interesting. In a list this California-heavy, this is the sleeper pick that drinks well above its price point here.
Sierra Cantabria Rosé (Rioja)
A Rioja rosé in a Colorado Springs steakhouse is not something you'd expect to find, and most tables are going to walk right past it. Sierra Cantabria is a serious producer — this is a structured, food-driven rosé that handles red meat better than you'd think.
Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay (Napa Valley)
Cakebread is a fine bottle, but at a fine dining markup it's almost certainly landing north of $80–$100 on this list for something you can find at Total Wine for $35. The name carries more weight than the price justifies — there are better allocations of your money here.
Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley) + Steak Diane (tableside)
The Steak Diane comes with a rich, pan-sauce drama that needs something with enough acid to cut through the butter and cream. Cliff Lede's Sauvignon Blanc has the structure for it — brighter and more textured than a basic California SB, it holds its own against the tableside spectacle.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Pepper Tree is a reliable wine stop for what it is — a classic Colorado fine-dining room where the tableside Steak Diane is the main event and the wine list is a well-behaved supporting cast. Don't come here chasing discovery, but do come knowing you'll drink decently without drama.
Broadmoor · Colorado Springs · Steakhouse and American
La Taverne is a well-run, properly staffed wine program inside one of Colorado's most storied resort properties — expect to pay for the privilege and the setting. If you stick to Jordan and Peter Michael and resist the siren call of the trophy bottles, you'll drink very well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Broadmoor · Colorado Springs · Italian (Northern Italian, trattoria-style)
Ristorante del Lago is the rare resort restaurant where the wine program actually earns some respect — the Italian focus is real, the sommelier knows the list, and a few genuinely exciting bottles are hiding in there if you look past the marquee names. Just go in knowing you're paying Broadmoor prices, and order accordingly.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Colorado Springs · Colorado Springs · Steakhouse
Famous Steakhouse is the dependable old hand — the wine list won't excite you, but it won't embarrass you either, and with a prime rib in front of you and a Stag's Leap in the glass, that's a perfectly decent Thursday night. Just don't come looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Manitou Springs · Colorado Springs · Mexican / Tex-Mex
Crystal Park Cantina is a genuinely fun spot for tacos and margaritas with a mountain view — lean into that and skip the wine entirely. The list is overpriced grocery store inventory with no ambition, and no amount of scenery changes that.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Manitou Springs · Colorado Springs · Upscale American, Contemporary Fine Dining
The Cliff House wine program is the dependable friend who always shows up dressed well — you know exactly what you're getting, and it's genuinely good, even if it never blows your mind. For a special occasion in the mountains, this is a comfortable, well-run room that will take care of you.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Northeast / University Village · Colorado Springs · Upscale American Steakhouse
Cowboy Star delivers exactly what a Colorado Springs steakhouse crowd wants from a wine list — familiar names, properly stored, and no homework required. It's not a destination for wine, but it won't embarrass you either; just steer toward Jordan over Caymus and pocket the difference.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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