Classic steakhouse cellar, no surprises needed
Pleasant Valley · Colorado Springs · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 2, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The Peppertree has the bones of a serious wine program — a refined room, tableside preparations, and white tablecloths that quietly demand a good bottle. The list leans hard into Napa and Sonoma, which makes sense for a steakhouse crowd, but don't come looking for surprises. What you see is exactly what you get, and at this price point, that's either comforting or a little disappointing depending on how adventurous you are.
Eighty to one-fifty bottles is a decent stack for Colorado Springs, and the anchor names — Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak — tell you exactly who this list is built for: the business dinner crowd who already knows what they like and doesn't want to debate it. The California-Washington axis is strong, but don't expect Old World depth or any producer willing to take a risk. There's nothing wrong here, but there's also nothing to discover — this is a list that exists to confirm choices, not inspire them.
Ten to sixteen glass pours is a reasonable spread for a steakhouse of this caliber, and the program likely mirrors the bottle list: Cabs, a Chard or two, maybe a token red blend. What's missing is any sense of rotation or curation — this feels like a set-and-forget program rather than one that gets tended to with any real enthusiasm.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — null
Jordan reliably punches above its price tag in restaurant settings — it's the most food-friendly of the big-name Cabs on this list, with enough structure for the beef without the wallet-destroying markups that follow Caymus around. If the restaurant hasn't gone completely sideways on pricing, this is your move.
Washington State selections
The Washington State portion of this list is easy to overlook when Caymus and Silver Oak are right there waving at you, but Washington Cabs and Syrahs tend to offer more complexity per dollar at steakhouse markup levels — and they're often priced lower because fewer tables ask for them.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, and restaurants know it — which means the markup is predictably painful. You're paying for the name recognition, not for anything you can't find at a better price-to-quality ratio elsewhere on this same list.
Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon + Steak Diane
Steak Diane's pan sauce — brandy, Worcestershire, cream — needs a Cab with enough fruit and soft tannins to work with the richness without fighting it. Silver Oak Alexander Valley is rounder and more approachable than its Napa counterpart, making it the right call for a sauce-driven dish over a straight sear.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Peppertree is a reliable steakhouse wine list doing exactly what a reliable steakhouse wine list does — safe producers, steep prices, zero risk. Come for the views and the Chateaubriand, order the Jordan, and don't expect the wine program to steal the show.
Broadmoor · Colorado Springs · Steakhouse and American
La Taverne is a well-run, properly staffed wine program inside one of Colorado's most storied resort properties — expect to pay for the privilege and the setting. If you stick to Jordan and Peter Michael and resist the siren call of the trophy bottles, you'll drink very well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Broadmoor · Colorado Springs · Italian (Northern Italian, trattoria-style)
Ristorante del Lago is the rare resort restaurant where the wine program actually earns some respect — the Italian focus is real, the sommelier knows the list, and a few genuinely exciting bottles are hiding in there if you look past the marquee names. Just go in knowing you're paying Broadmoor prices, and order accordingly.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Colorado Springs · Colorado Springs · Steakhouse
Famous Steakhouse is the dependable old hand — the wine list won't excite you, but it won't embarrass you either, and with a prime rib in front of you and a Stag's Leap in the glass, that's a perfectly decent Thursday night. Just don't come looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Manitou Springs · Colorado Springs · Mexican / Tex-Mex
Crystal Park Cantina is a genuinely fun spot for tacos and margaritas with a mountain view — lean into that and skip the wine entirely. The list is overpriced grocery store inventory with no ambition, and no amount of scenery changes that.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Manitou Springs · Colorado Springs · Upscale American, Contemporary Fine Dining
The Cliff House wine program is the dependable friend who always shows up dressed well — you know exactly what you're getting, and it's genuinely good, even if it never blows your mind. For a special occasion in the mountains, this is a comfortable, well-run room that will take care of you.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown / West Colorado · Colorado Springs · Fine Dining / Steak & Seafood
Pepper Tree is a reliable wine stop for what it is — a classic Colorado fine-dining room where the tableside Steak Diane is the main event and the wine list is a well-behaved supporting cast. Don't come here chasing discovery, but do come knowing you'll drink decently without drama.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Abilene · Steakhouse
Cattleman's Exchange isn't a wine destination, but it's not a disaster either — it's a hotel steakhouse doing hotel steakhouse things. If you're in Abilene and need a Cab with your beef, you'll find something that works; just don't expect the list to surprise you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Springfield · Steakhouse
LongHorn Springfield isn't a wine destination — but with markups this low and pours this affordable, it's one of the better casual chain options in Illinois for a simple red with a big steak. Send a friend here for dinner; just don't tell them to geek out over the list.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Frontera · Round Rock · Steakhouse
Saltgrass Round Rock is exactly what it looks like: a chain steakhouse wine list on autopilot, built around brand names, sweet crowd-pleasers, and markups that assume you're not paying attention. Order a beer or a cocktail and save the wine for somewhere that actually cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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