Order the beer. Trust us on this.
Downtown · Missoula · American Pub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Old Post’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at The Old Post isn't really a wine list — it's a short paragraph scrawled at the bottom of a menu that lives and breathes beer and whiskey. Four to six options, none of them surprising, all of them clearly chosen to appease the one person at the table who doesn't want a pint.
We're talking house Cabernet Sauvignon, house Chardonnay, a Malbec or red blend from a rotating mainstream producer, and something sweetness-driven like Barefoot Moscato rounding out the back end. No regions worth discussing, no producers worth Googling. This is a wine program that exists because a bar is technically required to offer wine, not because anyone here cares about it. Missoula has a genuinely interesting food and drink scene — The Old Post is just not participating in that conversation.
You get somewhere between four and six pours, all in the $6–$9 range, and the rotation appears to be driven entirely by what the distributor drops off that week. There's no story here, no intention — just a short list of wines that will get the job done if beer and cocktails aren't your thing.
House Cabernet Sauvignon — $7/glass
At $7, the math isn't offensive for a casual bar pour — it's a fine enough glass to nurse alongside a basket of wings. Relatively speaking, it's the least bad option on a list with very low ceilings.
House Malbec / Red Blend
The rotating red blend or Malbec slot is where you occasionally luck into something slightly more interesting than the house Cab. It rotates based on what's available, so on a good week it punches a little harder than the rest of the list — ask what's currently pouring before you default to the Cabernet.
Barefoot Moscato
Barefoot Moscato at a bar markup — you're paying $7–$8 for something that retails for about $6 a bottle. It's not that the wine is the end of the world; it's that you're at a pub in Montana and there are better ways to spend that money, starting with literally anything on the draft list.
House Cabernet Sauvignon + Chicken Wings
A simple, slightly tannic house Cab can hold its own against saucy wings — the fruit cuts through the heat and the structure keeps things from getting muddy. It's not a pairing you'd write home about, but it works, and at this bar that's basically a win.
❌ The Bottom Line
The Old Post is a genuinely fun neighborhood bar to catch a game, shoot pool, and drink a cold beer — wine is just not why you're here. If your group insists on a glass, the house Cab will survive the evening; beyond that, let someone else handle the wine duties tonight.
South Missoula · Missoula · American / Chain
Applebee's Missoula isn't a destination for wine — it's a destination for Boneless Wings and a cold domestic beer, and there's zero shame in that. If wine is a priority, order a cocktail and save the bottle for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Missoula · Breakfast and Diner-Style American
The Shack is worth visiting for the food and the Missoula nostalgia — but the wine list is two bottles deep and priced like it knows you have no other options. Order coffee, order juice, order whatever they're putting in the Vodka Fettuccine, and save the wine drinking for somewhere that's actually trying.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Missoula · New American / Global
Red Bird is the best wine option in Missoula by a comfortable margin, and the curation is genuinely impressive for its size and location. The markups are uneven enough to require some navigation, but if you stick to the Cristom and the Italian picks, you'll drink well without feeling robbed.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Missoula · French / European
The Pearl Café is doing something genuinely unusual — running a thoughtful, fairly priced wine program in a mountain city where most restaurants would coast on a generic list and nobody would complain. Send your wine-curious friends here without apology; just steer them away from the Ste. Michelle.
Solid Range
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Missoula · Sushi, Japanese
SakeTome is a Wild Card: a lively downtown sushi spot with a mostly safe wine list that hides genuine Oregon ambition behind a wall of crowd-pleasers. Come for the rolls, order the Meiomi by the glass or splurge on Walter Scott if it's available — just skip the Priorat.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
South Higgins · Missoula · Italian
Ciao Mambo isn't a destination wine list, but it's honest, fairly priced, and doesn't embarrass itself — which puts it ahead of most Italian spots its size. Send a friend here for dinner and point them toward the Planeta or the Torrontés; they'll thank you.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Macon · American Pub
The Rookery is a burger-and-beer bar with a wine list stapled on for completeness. Markups run steep (80-125% over retail), but glass pours are reasonable and the selection does its job without pretension. Come for the onion rings and Southern rock history, not the wine program.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · American Pub
East Coast Ale House is exactly what it sounds like: a beer-focused pub where wine is an afterthought. Order a craft IPA, enjoy the wings, and save your wine drinking for literally anywhere else.
Grocery Store
Steep
Stemless Casual
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.