California comfort with a New Mexico view
Nob Hill · Albuquerque · American fine dining with prime steaks, seafood, and California wine country influences · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 4, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Savoy leans hard into California — predictable for a steakhouse-adjacent fine dining room, but not without its moments. You're here for the mountain views and the prime beef, and the list knows its audience. It's not trying to surprise you, and for the most part, it doesn't.
A 100-150 bottle list built almost entirely around California makes sense given the restaurant's wine country influences, but the range doesn't push much past the usual suspects — think Mondavi, Belle Glos, Crossbarn territory. Roessler Cellars is a legitimate highlight and shows someone made at least one interesting call. Outside of California there's not much to explore, and adventurous drinkers looking for Old World depth or anything off the beaten path will come up short. The list is solid for what it is — a comfortable backdrop for a steak dinner — but it's not a destination in itself.
The by-the-glass program runs 12-20 options, which is a respectable spread for Albuquerque. The happy hour pricing — $11 a glass across the board — makes it easy to order without doing math. What you gain in accessibility you lose in rotation; this reads more like a permanent fixture than a program that evolves with the seasons.
Crossbarn Chardonnay — $11
Crossbarn is Paul Hobbs' more approachable label and retails around $25. At $11 a glass during happy hour, you're getting a well-made Sonoma Coast Chardonnay at a price that makes the math work in your favor.
Roessler Cellar Pinot Noir
Most guests are going straight for Belle Glos because they recognize the name, but Roessler is the more interesting call — a small-production Sonoma producer that flies under the radar and consistently punches above its weight in the glass.
Belle Glos Pinot Noir
At $11 a glass it sounds fine, but Belle Glos retails around $40 — the markup here is north of 260% on a wine that's essentially become a grocery store staple. The brand recognition is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Skip it and let Roessler do the work instead.
Roessler Cellar Pinot Noir + Prime steak
A Sonoma Pinot has enough structure and dark fruit to stand up to a well-marbled steak without the tannin sledgehammer of a Cab — it's a smarter move than defaulting to the obvious, and it lets the beef do the talking.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Savoy is a reliable wine stop in Albuquerque's fine dining landscape — California-focused, not particularly adventurous, but fair enough at happy hour pricing to make it worth your time with a steak in front of you. Don't come here looking for discovery; come here knowing what you want and order it.
Nob Hill · Albuquerque · French Bistro
P'tit Louis is doing something genuinely uncommon in Albuquerque: a French wine list that actually earns the bistro name. It's not the deepest list in the world, but it's focused, fairly priced, and full of bottles worth ordering — send a friend here and tell them to skip the Jadot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Uptown · Albuquerque · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão Albuquerque won't win any awards for wine creativity, but the South American red game is solid enough to get you through a meat marathon without regret. Just don't expect to discover anything new — this list is on autopilot.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Uptown · Albuquerque · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Albuquerque is the reliable airport terminal of wine lists — you know exactly what you're getting, it'll cost more than it should, and nothing will go wrong. If you're celebrating and want to hand someone a bottle of Silver Oak without any drama, this is your spot; if you're here for wine discovery, you're in the wrong room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
North Valley/Los Poblanos · Albuquerque · Cocktail & Wine Bar
The Library Bar at Los Poblanos isn't trying to be a serious wine destination — it's trying to be an honest expression of place, and it largely succeeds. If you care about drinking local and you haven't touched a New Mexico bottle in a while, this is the right room to fix that.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westside/Coors · Albuquerque · Italian
M'tucci's Coors isn't trying to be a destination wine program, and that honesty works in its favor. Show up on a Monday or Tuesday, grab a half-price bottle of the private label, and order the osso buco — you'll leave happy.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Nob Hill · Albuquerque · Wine Bar/Italian
Scalo Wine Bar is the best Italian wine list in Albuquerque by a comfortable margin, and it earns that title by actually committing to the country's great regions instead of playing it safe. Markups are a bit aggressive and the staff won't always go deep with you, but the selection alone makes it worth the trip.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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