The Fort

The Fort serves game meats in an adobe fortress, and the wine list plays it surprisingly safe. This is Wine Spectator Award territory — lots of Napa heavyweights like Silver Oak and Cakebread, some token Colorado bottles, and prices that remind you you're dining in a tourist destination.

The list leans hard on California prestige labels — Robert Mondavi, Joseph Phelps, Trefethen — with a nod to local pride via Colterris Winery from Palisade. You'll find French classics from Pauillac and Medoc, plus Champagne for special occasions. It's a solid, predictable lineup that won't surprise anyone who's been to upscale steakhouses. The list skews traditional and crowd-pleasing, which makes sense when you're serving buffalo and elk to out-of-towners. What's missing: natural wines, orange wines, anything adventurous or unexpected.

The by-the-glass program runs 12-18 selections, which is respectable for a restaurant of this size. Expect the usual suspects — accessible reds and whites that won't scare off guests ordering rattlesnake for the first time. The sommelier on staff keeps things rotating, but don't expect wild pours or cult producers here.