Mountain Resort Wine Done Seriously Right
The Broadmoor · Colorado Springs · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Summit at The Broadmoor, the wine list announces itself immediately — this isn't a resort restaurant treating wine as an afterthought. A 300-500 bottle program with dedicated sommeliers Cristobal Esparza and Paul Frampton signals that someone here actually cares. California and France anchor the list, and they do it with conviction.
The California contingent is genuinely impressive: Opus One, Dominus Estate, Caymus Special Selection, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, Chateau Montelena, and Far Niente Chardonnay aren't just trophy bottles thrown on a page — this is a cohesive Napa and Sonoma story told with real range. France shows up with Louis Jadot holding down Burgundy and Chateau Lynch-Bages representing Bordeaux with authority. The list leans classic and collector-friendly rather than adventurous, which fits the room but leaves natural wine lovers and Rhône or Alsace hunters out in the cold. For what it sets out to be — a polished, occasion-worthy American and French deep dive — it delivers.
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass is a genuinely strong program for this market, running $12–$22 per glass. That range gives you real options without forcing a full bottle commitment, which matters when you're pairing across a multi-course dinner. We'd expect the glass list to reflect the bottle list's California-France emphasis, meaning you're likely pouring well-known producers rather than anything left-field.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $50–$80 (estimated bottle range)
Jordan is the quiet workhorse of the California Cab world — consistently excellent, never flashy, and priced below the Opus Ones and Caymus bottles that dominate this list. At a resort like The Broadmoor, it's likely the closest thing to a fair deal in the red wine section.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay
Everyone at this table is eyeing the Cabernets, and Chateau Montelena's Chardonnay gets overlooked. This is the producer that beat the French at their own game in 1976 — ordering it here is a small act of good taste that most tables will miss entirely.
Opus One
It's on every luxury restaurant list in America, marked up accordingly, and ordered mostly for the label. You're paying a significant premium for the brand story. The wine is good — it's just not good enough to justify resort-level pricing on top of Opus One's already-steep retail.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot + House Made Charcuterie
Duckhorn Merlot has the weight and dark fruit to stand up to cured meats and pâté without overwhelming the more delicate elements on a charcuterie board. It's a classically structured pour that makes the starter feel like its own course.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Summit earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence — this is a serious list run by serious people in a setting that can actually support it. Pricing skews steep as expected for a resort of this caliber, but if you're celebrating something worth celebrating, this is where you do it in Colorado Springs.
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
Downtown / West Colorado · Colorado Springs · Fine Dining / Steak & Seafood
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.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Southwest / Time Corners · Fort Wayne · American
Catablu is exactly what it needs to be for its neighborhood — a reliable, thoughtfully maintained list that won't embarrass you on a date night or bore you entirely. It's not a destination wine list, but it's a solid supporting act for a kitchen that clearly takes food seriously.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Otay Ranch Town Center · Chula Vista · American
BJ's is a fine place to drink a craft beer and eat a Pizookie. It is not a place to drink wine. Order a Brewhouse Blonde, skip the wine list entirely, and save your wine night for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SanTan Village · Gilbert · American
The Cheesecake Factory is a perfectly fine place to eat — the wine list just isn't a reason to go. Order a cocktail, split a bottle of Santa Margherita if you must, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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