TEN at the Northern Hotel

Marenco 'Pineto' Brachetto d'Acqui, Piedmont, Italy 2021 – 375ml — $48

Brachetto d'Acqui is one of the most underrated sweet reds in the world — lightly sparkling, strawberry-forward, low alcohol — and Marenco makes a textbook version. At $48 for a half-bottle, it's the most accessible entry point into TEN's dessert program and the kind of wine that surprises people who think they don't like sweet wine.

Sandeman 40 Year Tawny Port – $55

A 40-year Tawny on a by-the-glass or pour list in Billings, Montana is genuinely rare. Most people walk past it and order the Ruby, but Sandeman's 40-year has that deep, oxidative, walnut-and-fig complexity that makes you slow down and pay attention. At $55 a pour, it's not cheap — but it's a legitimate experience you won't find at most restaurants in the state.

Château d'Yquem 'Premier Cru Supérieur' Sauternes 2019 – $898

D'Yquem belongs on a list like this in theory, but without retail pricing visible for direct comparison, $898 is a hard sell when you're not in a restaurant specifically built around that kind of cellar. It's a trophy bottle at a trophy price, and unless someone else is paying, the Chateau Hallet Sauternes at $60 tells a similar story at a fraction of the cost.

Chateau Hallet Sauternes, Bordeaux, France 2020 – 375ml + Locally sourced steak

Sauternes with a rich, fatty steak is a classic high-low contrast that works every time — the wine's honeyed acidity cuts through the fat in a way that a big red sometimes doesn't. At $60 for a half-bottle, it's an affordable way to do something unexpected at a steakhouse-leaning menu.