Spain's Greatest Hits, in Denver
LoDo · Denver · Mediterranean, Spanish · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 11, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You walk into Rioja expecting a solid neighborhood Mediterranean spot and then the wine list lands on the table — and it's stacked with serious Spanish names that have no business being in a mid-sized Denver dining room. The copper bar and warm, unfussy room give off 'good date night' energy, but the wine program is playing a different, more ambitious game entirely.
The list leans hard into Spain, and that focus pays off in a way that scattered globe-trotting lists never do. We're talking Vega Sicilia Único, Pingus from Ribera del Duero, Álvaro Palacios L'Ermita from Priorat — these are bottles that collectors chase, sitting alongside crowd-friendly picks like CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva and Muga Prado Enea. La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 and Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay round out a remarkably coherent tour of Spanish wine at its most traditional and most thrilling. If you want Burgundy or Napa, you'll find options, but this list isn't trying to be everything — and that restraint is exactly right.
Twenty to thirty-five by-the-glass options is a serious count for a restaurant that isn't a dedicated wine bar, and the glass pour program reflects the bottle list's Spanish ambitions rather than retreating to generic crowd-pleasers. At $12–$18 a glass, you're not getting gouged, and there's enough range to explore without committing to a full bottle. We'd love to see more rotation and a few greedier pours from the cellar's best producers, but what's here is well above average.
CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva Rioja — $65
Imperial Gran Reserva is one of the most consistently excellent wines in all of Spain — serious age, serious complexity — and at this price point in a restaurant setting, it represents exactly the kind of value that makes a wine list worth opening.
Bodegas Roda Cirsion
Most tables will reach for the Vega Sicilia because it's famous, and most tables will be disappointed by what it costs. Cirsion is Roda's top-tier Rioja, made from ancient vine Tempranillo, and it flies under the radar for anyone not already deep into Spanish wine — that's your opportunity.
Álvaro Palacios L'Ermita Priorat
L'Ermita is one of the most iconic wines in Spain, full stop — but it commands a price that puts it well out of range for a casual dinner, and there are extraordinary bottles on this list that deliver comparable thrills for a fraction of the spend. Save L'Ermita for a special occasion where you've planned the budget around it.
Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva + Roasted Lamb
Prado Enea is old-school Rioja at its best — earthy, dried fruit-forward, with a savory backbone built for red meat. Roasted lamb is the classic match, and here it's not a cliché, it's the right answer.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Rioja earned its Wine Spectator nod, and then some — a Spanish wine list this focused and this well-stocked is rare anywhere, let alone Denver. If Spain is your thing, or you want it to become your thing, this is the room.
Downtown Denver · Denver · American, Steakhouse
Range is a confident, well-kept steakhouse list that won't surprise you but absolutely won't let you down — especially if California Cabs are your language. Just come in with your eyes open on pricing, and let Dan steer you toward the Jordan.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Cherry Creek · Denver · American, Seafood
Salt Water Social plays it safe with wine but plays it well — California classics at fair prices, with a Wednesday half-price night that makes it a genuine weekly option. No one's discovering anything new here, but you won't be disappointed either.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Denver · Denver · Regional Steakhouse
Urban Farmer is a solid, no-drama wine stop for anyone who loves California Cab and wants a proper glass with a well-cooked steak. It won't surprise you, but it won't disappoint you either — and in Denver's steakhouse scene, that's worth something.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Denver · Denver · Italian
Restaurant Olivia is the kind of neighborhood Italian spot that quietly holds a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and earns it without making a fuss about it. Send your friends who think Denver can't do wine right — this list will change the conversation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
RiNo · Denver · American, Seasonal
Nocturne is a jazz club that moonlights as a serious wine destination — the combo shouldn't work this well, but it does. Tuesday half-price nights make this an easy recommendation; any other night, lean toward the Flowers or the Leroy and let the music do the rest.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Capitol Hill · Denver · French
Mizuna is a sleeper hit for serious Burgundy in a city that doesn't always take wine this seriously — the producers on this list belong in the conversation with the country's best French restaurants. Prices are real, the staff knows what they're doing, and if Côte d'Or is your thing, this is worth the reservation.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.