Après-ski luxury with a California-heavy pour
Downtown / St. Regis · Aspen · Mountain American / Hotel Restaurant
Reviewed July 27, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Velvet Buck’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Velvet Buck, the wine list feels exactly like the room: polished, confident, and unapologetically expensive. It's a St. Regis property in Aspen, so nobody is pretending this is a bargain hunt. What you get is a curated, well-maintained list that plays to a crowd who already knows what they want.
The list runs 150 to 250 bottles deep with a clear tilt toward California Cabernet and Chardonnay, anchored by names like Far Niente, Silver Oak, and Caymus — the holy trinity of guests who equate price tags with quality. Burgundy and Bordeaux show up with enough seriousness to suggest someone on staff actually cares, but the list doesn't stray far from the expected. You won't find anything that makes you lean forward and say 'where did they find that?' — this is a greatest hits list, executed well. Gaps in the Southern Hemisphere and natural wine space are notable, but probably intentional given the clientele.
With 15 to 25 pours available by the glass, there's enough range to work with across a long mountain dinner. Expect the usual suspects — a California Chardonnay, a Cab, maybe a Burgundy option if you're lucky — but don't expect much rotation or adventure. It's a solid program that keeps the room happy without pushing anyone out of their comfort zone.
Far Niente Chardonnay — null
Far Niente is genuinely good Chardonnay — richer and more precise than the Napa hype wines that share menu space. In a room where everything is priced at altitude, this is one you're actually getting something for. Skip the markup lectures and just order it.
Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon
Silver Oak gets dismissed by the wine-nerd crowd as too mainstream, but at a mountain steakhouse serving dry-aged beef and Colorado lamb, it does exactly what it's supposed to do. Most tables walk past it for the Caymus — their loss.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is fine wine at a fair price in a retail shop. At a St. Regis in Aspen, you're paying a resort premium on top of a name that's already inflated by decades of menu placement. The markup here makes the math ugly fast.
Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon + Colorado lamb
Silver Oak's softer tannin structure and ripe dark fruit don't fight the gaminess of Colorado lamb the way a bigger Cab might — they flatter it. It's a classic pairing that doesn't need to be reinvented.
The Bottom Line
Velvet Buck is a reliable, well-run hotel wine program doing exactly what a St. Regis in Aspen is supposed to do — impress people without surprising them. If you're after adventure, look elsewhere; if you're after a great glass of Far Niente after a day on the mountain, you're in the right place.
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One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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