Taft Diaz
El Paso's Unlikely World-Class Wine Destination
Downtown El Paso · El Paso · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You walk into a boutique hotel restaurant in downtown El Paso and the wine list opens to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Chateau Margaux. This is not what you were expecting. Taft Diaz earned its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2025 and the list makes a strong case for why.
Selection Deep Dive
The list runs 150-250 bottles and leans hard into Burgundy, Bordeaux, and California — which is exactly where the strength is. You've got DRC and Louis Jadot anchoring the Burgundy section, Chateau Margaux and Chateau Lynch-Bages flying the Bordeaux flag, and Opus One, Caymus, Stag's Leap, and Jordan holding down Napa. The range is genuinely impressive for El Paso — this isn't a wine list that wandered into greatness by accident. The gaps show up outside those three corridors though; if you want anything from Italy, Spain, or the Southern Hemisphere, you're probably out of luck.
By the Glass
The by-the-glass program runs 12-20 options and prices land between $12 and $22 a pour, which is reasonable for the quality level being attempted. We'd love to see more rotation and a dedicated half-glass option to let diners explore the bigger bottles without committing to a full pour. What's there is solid; it just doesn't swing as hard as the bottle list promises.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $40-range
Jordan consistently punches above its price point — structured, food-friendly, and approachable without being boring. On a list that reaches into the stratosphere, this is the move for a table that wants serious Napa Cab without the anxiety of a three-figure bottle.
Chateau Lynch-Bages (Pauillac)
Lynch-Bages is a fifth-growth that drinks like a second and most people at this restaurant will walk right past it chasing the Margaux. If it's listed at a fair price, this is the most satisfying Bordeaux on the card — dense, dark-fruited, and built for a long table.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, costs more than it should at restaurant markup, and the style — plush, jammy, built for mass appeal — doesn't do much for the food coming out of this kitchen. On a list with Stag's Leap and Jordan in the same neighborhood, Caymus is the easy pick for the wrong reasons.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Wagyu Ribeye
Stag's Leap built its legacy on structured, elegant Napa Cab — refined enough to not bulldoze your food. Against a Wagyu ribeye, that balance matters. The wine's cassis and cedar lift the fat without fighting it, and you're left with a pairing that makes both things taste better.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Taft Diaz is the best wine list in El Paso and it's not particularly close — a boutique hotel restaurant with the ambition to stock DRC and Lynch-Bages is the kind of wild card this city didn't know it needed. If you're passing through or live in the 915, this is worth a reservation specifically for the bottle list.
Comments
Get the Weekly Wingman
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.