Fort Collins' Best Excuse to Drink Cabernet
Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Steak House · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Sonny Lubick Steakhouse’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Dark wood, leather booths, soft lighting — Sonny Lubick knows exactly what it is and doesn't apologize for it. The wine list lands the same way: a confident, California-heavy steakhouse program that hits the classic notes without much deviation. It's the kind of list where you immediately know a Cabernet is coming your way and you're genuinely okay with that.
The list runs 150-250 bottles with California doing the heavy lifting — Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak, Stag's Leap, Nickel & Nickel, Duckhorn, and Opus One all show up, which tells you the kitchen and the wine room are speaking the same language. Italy adds real credibility with Barolo from Piedmont and Brunello di Montalcino giving the list some Old World backbone beyond just crowd-pleasers. France checks in with Bordeaux château selections that round out the upper tier. The gaps are real — no serious Rhône, minimal white Burgundy, and anything outside these three regions is sparse — but within its lane, this list is well-curated and earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence credential, held continuously since 2010.
Twelve to twenty pours by the glass at $12–$18 is a solid spread for a steakhouse of this caliber — you're not stuck choosing between one Chardonnay and one Cab. The range likely mirrors the bottle list's California-first philosophy, so expect reliable names rather than anything adventurous. It's a workmanlike BTG program that serves the room well, even if it won't surprise you.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 — $95
Jordan retails around $55-60, so the markup stings a little — but in the context of this list, it's one of the more accessible entry points into serious Alexander Valley Cab. It's a crowd-pleasing pour that genuinely delivers at the table, and next to a $595 Opus One, it looks downright reasonable.
Brunello di Montalcino
Most tables at a Fort Collins steakhouse are ordering California Cab on autopilot, which means the Brunello selections are sitting quietly and waiting to be discovered. Sangiovese at this level brings an earthy complexity and acidity that actually cuts through a ribeye better than most of the Napa fruit bombs sharing the list.
Opus One 2018
Opus One retails around $350-375 for this vintage, which puts the restaurant markup at roughly 60% over retail — steep even by upscale steakhouse standards. It's a trophy bottle, not a dinner wine, and the money is almost certainly better spent elsewhere on this list.
Stag's Leap Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 + Bone-in Ribeye
Artemis brings structured tannins and dark fruit without the weight of the bigger cult Cabs — it has enough backbone to stand up to the fat and char on a bone-in ribeye without steamrolling the beef. At $120, it's a grown-up pairing that doesn't require a second mortgage.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night every Wednesday — the single best reason to plan your week around dinner here.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Sonny Lubick is a reliable, well-staffed steakhouse wine program that earns its Award of Excellence badge — just don't expect to be surprised. If you're in Fort Collins and want serious Cabernet with serious beef, this is your spot; show up on a Wednesday for half-price bottles and thank us later.
Old Town · Fort Collins · Vegetarian / Plant-Based American
Tasty Harmony is not a wine bar, and it doesn't try to be — but it charges fair prices, pours across the whole list by the glass, and assembles a short list that actually makes sense with plant-based food. If you're eating here, drink the wine; you won't regret it.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Town · Fort Collins · Tex-Mex / Mexican
Rio Grande isn't a wine destination, and it knows it — but Wine Down Wednesdays with 50% off bottles is a legitimately good deal that earns it a second look. Bring your margarita crew, order the Malbec with your burrito, and call it a win.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Steakhouse
The Still is a genuinely fun spot for whiskey and red meat, but the wine list is a clear afterthought — overpriced grocery store bottles with no story to tell. Order a pour from their whiskey program and save the wine night for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Fort Collins · Fort Collins · French-influenced bistro; seafood-focused
Bistro Nautile is a genuinely appealing restaurant let down by a wine list that plays it safe with familiar labels and then charges aggressively for the privilege. Drink by the glass, stick to the interesting outliers, and don't let the French bistro atmosphere talk you into a $68 bottle of Daou.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Southwestern
Coyote's isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but the pricing is fair, the Wednesday deal is genuinely excellent, and there's nothing actively wrong here. Show up on a Wednesday, order a bottle of Pinot Grigio for $19.50, and focus on the burrito.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Casual Seafood Chain
Red Lobster isn't trying to be a wine destination and the list makes that abundantly clear — grab the Riesling, enjoy the biscuits, and don't come here expecting anything beyond the expected. If wine matters to your dinner, eat somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hartland · Hartland · Steak House
Palmer's is a reliable steakhouse wine list that delivers exactly what its suburban clientele wants — well-known California names, solid execution, and nothing too weird. If you're a wine adventurer, you'll want to temper expectations; if you're celebrating with a ribeye and a Jordan Cab, you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Town Square · Jackson · Steak House
The Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse has a sommelier, a Wine Spectator credential, and a list that knows its audience — which is Jackson tourists who want great steak and great Napa Cab, full stop. Send a friend here if they want a proper California red with a serious piece of beef; just warn them to skip Opus One and let Jordan do the work.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Milwaukee · Milwaukee · Steak House
Ward's House of Prime is exactly what it says it is: a classic Milwaukee steakhouse with a wine list built to match big cuts of beef. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is well-earned, but don't come looking for adventure — come looking for a great California Cab and a slab of prime rib.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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