Tiny list, big mountain energy, honest prices
· Aspen · Mountain American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 26, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Pine Creek Cookhouse’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Nine bottles. That's the whole list. At a remote mountain cookhouse in Aspen — a place you likely arrived at by horse-drawn sleigh in winter or a dusty trail ride in summer — nine bottles is actually plenty. The prices are refreshingly honest for a zip code where a glass of anything can run $25 before you blink.
The list spans four continents in nine labels, which is either impressively global or a little scattered depending on your mood. You get two Chandon bubblies plus the Chapel Down Brut Rosé anchoring the sparkling end, a Gascon white and an Italian Chardonnay for whites, and a South African red blend, a Chilean Cab, an Argentine Malbec, and an Australian Shiraz rounding out the reds. The producers are approachable and crowd-pleasing rather than destination-worthy — Montes, Excelsior, Alpha Zeta — but nobody came up a mountain trail expecting a vertically-listed Barolo. What's here works for the setting, and the price ceiling of $47.95 keeps things from getting painful.
By-the-glass options aren't specified on the menu, so we can't tell you whether you're committing to a bottle or just a pour. Given the remote, event-style nature of the experience here, bottle service feels like the operating assumption — plan accordingly and bring a friend.
The Bottom Line
Pine Creek Cookhouse is not a wine destination — it's an experience destination where the wine list exists to complement a genuinely special setting, and to its credit, it doesn't try to be more than that. The pricing is fair, the range covers the basics without embarrassing anyone, and the Gascon white alone is worth knowing about. Come for the mountain, stay for the sleigh ride, and don't overthink the wine.
· Aspen · Japanese-Peruvian
Nobu Aspen's wine list won't win awards for depth or value, but it earns respect for its unexpected Australian backbone and a by-the-glass program that actually has range and structure. If you're dropping serious money at this address anyway, lean into the Swinney Grenache or the Domaine Laroche Chablis — someone cared enough to put them there.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aspen · French Bistro
Petit Trois Aspen earns its Wild Card badge by keeping the list lean, French-forward, and genuinely considered — rare for a resort-market restaurant where the wine list is usually an afterthought. The markups are real, and the glass prices climb steeply toward the top, but the Ajax Cellars Riesling and the Estezargue give you a reason to explore. If you're in town and want something with more personality than the usual Aspen lineup, this list delivers — just go in with your eyes open on price.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Aspen · Global Asian
LoLa 41 Aspen plays it safe with a crowd-pleasing list that leans heavily on name recognition and a showstopper Champagne section built for Aspen-sized occasions. Markups are steep throughout, and the list won't surprise a serious wine drinker — but the by-the-glass program is functional and the Ken Wright Pinot Noir is legitimately good value for the altitude. Go in knowing what you want, or let the bubbles section do the thinking for you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Aspen · Cafe / Wine-Friendly
This is a Wild Card in the truest sense — a museum rooftop café with no sommelier and steep markups that still manages to stock Lapierre, William Fevre Grand Cru, and Pierre Peters. The prices will get you, but the list itself deserves credit. Come for the view, stay for the Gruner.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / The Little Nell · Aspen · Wine Bar / Lounge
Element 47 is the rare mountain resort wine program that could hold its own in any major city — 3,300 labels, proper storage, knowledgeable staff, and glassware that actually fits the wine. Prices are high because Aspen is high, but if you're going to spend serious money on a bottle somewhere, this is a place that respects the investment.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Aspen · Bar / Mexican
Las Montañas is the rare bar where the wine list deserves more attention than the cocktail menu — a sommelier-curated, California-forward selection with enough Pacific Northwest surprises to keep things interesting. Aspen markups are what they are, but the quality and intentionality here are real.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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