Great Beer Town, Forgettable Wine List
Midtown · Fort Collins · American Gastropub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 1, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The Moot House is a genuinely charming English-style pub — warm wood, good energy, and a beer list that clearly gets the most attention. The wine list, on the other hand, reads like someone printed off the first page of a national distributor catalog and called it a day. Nothing here is going to excite you, but if you just need a glass of something red with your burger, you won't be stranded.
Twenty to thirty labels, almost entirely California mainstream and recognizable international brands — this is a list built for the path of least resistance. Joel Gott Cabernet, Meiomi Pinot Noir, Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio: these are grocery store staples that people already know, which is exactly the point. There's no depth here, no regional exploration, no independent producers worth talking about. Fort Collins has a genuinely curious drinking culture, and this list doesn't come close to meeting it.
Ten pours by the glass is a reasonable number for a spot like this, but the range doesn't stretch beyond what you'd expect. At $8–$14 a glass, you're paying restaurant prices for wines that top out at about $18 retail. The selection rotates little if at all — this feels like a set-and-forget program more than an active one.
Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon — $38
Joel Gott is a reliable, fruit-forward Cab that holds up to a table of burgers without embarrassing itself. It's not thrilling, but it's probably the best bang-for-buck on this list relative to what else is on offer.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
Overexposed nationally, yes — but on a list this limited, it's actually one of the more food-friendly options. Light, clean, and honest, it's a better call than the Chardonnay if you're eating anything from the lighter side of the menu.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
At $36 a bottle, you're paying a 200% markup on a $12 retail wine. K-J Chard is fine in a grocery cart; it's not fine at three times the shelf price. Order the beer instead — this place actually knows what it's doing there.
Meiomi Pinot Noir + Prime Rib
Meiomi is plush, soft, and low in tannin — it won't fight the fat in a slice of prime rib the way a bigger Cab might. It's not a sophisticated pairing, but it works, and at Wednesday half-price bottle pricing it's at least an honest deal.
Wednesday — Half-price bottles on Wednesdays — the one real reason to drink wine here. Note: this promo is based on local reports and may not be formally advertised; confirm before you go.
❌ The Bottom Line
Come to The Moot House for the atmosphere, the craft beer, and the fish and chips — not the wine. This list is a placeholder, not a program, and the markups don't justify the effort of choosing carefully.
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
Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Casual Italian-American chain
Olive Garden's wine list is a corporate afterthought — overpriced supermarket bottles with no rotation, no discovery, and no one behind the bar who's going to help you find something interesting. Order the Moscato, enjoy the breadsticks, and save your serious wine questions for literally anywhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Fort Collins · Fort Collins · New American, Wood-Fired Pizza & Seasonal Cuisine
Restaurant 415 is a solid neighborhood dinner spot where the wine list does exactly what it needs to do without doing anything that would actually excite you. Come for the pizza and the happy hour pour, not for the bottle list.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Akron · Akron · American Gastropub
Good Company is a wings joint that hired someone with taste to pick the wine list, and it shows. We'd absolutely send a friend here with instructions to skip the Cab and go straight for the bubbles.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Clarendon · Arlington · American Gastropub
The Liberty's Bar isn't going to win any awards for adventurousness, but a Barolo and an Oloroso Sherry on a gastropub list in Clarendon at fair prices? We'd send a friend here without hesitation. Order the Barolo by the glass and let everyone else drink the house red.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Heritage District (The Yard) · Gilbert · American Gastropub
Culinary Dropout Gilbert is a good time that happens to have wine — not a wine list that happens to have a restaurant around it. Come for the vibe, the pretzel bites, and maybe a glass of rosé on the patio; just don't expect your mind to be blown by what's in the book.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.