Pool Bar Wines for a Captive Audience
Table Rock Lake / Hollister · Branson · Resort American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 23, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Westgate Branson Lakes – Restaurant & Bar’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list here reads like a grocery store endcap that someone handed off to a resort procurement manager with a $200 budget and no opinions. You're on vacation, you're steps from the lake, and the path of least resistance is a glass of something recognizable — that's exactly what this list is banking on. There's no pretense of curation here, which is at least honest.
The list runs 20-40 bottles deep, but 'deep' is generous — it's California-only, and not the interesting parts of California. You're looking at Kendall-Jackson, Meiomi, Apothic, and Josh Cellars: a murderers' row of mass-market labels that move by the truckload because they're designed to be inoffensive, not interesting. There's no regional variety, no old-world representation, no curiosity anywhere on the page. The list exists to extract money from guests who aren't going to drive into Branson for a wine shop, and it knows it.
Six to ten pours by the glass, maxing out at $14 a pour, which sounds reasonable until you remember these are wines that retail for $10-$15 a bottle. The selection rotates about as often as resort furniture — meaning it doesn't. If you're staying multiple nights, you'll have exhausted every option by night two.
Meiomi Pinot Noir — $13/glass
Of the options available, Meiomi is at least making an effort — it's soft, fruit-forward, and easy to drink on a warm evening by the lake. Not a revelation, but the most drinkable thing on the list.
Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay
Nobody's calling KJ a hidden gem with a straight face, but if you're eating grilled chicken poolside and want something cold and familiar without thinking too hard, this is it. It's ubiquitous for a reason.
Apothic Red Blend
At resort markup, you're paying $12-$14 a glass for a wine built on sweetness and mass appeal — a bottle you can grab at any gas station in Missouri for under $12. The value math doesn't work.
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Burger
Josh Cab is soft enough not to clash and has enough dark fruit to stand up to a beef patty. It's not a pairing you'd write home about, but it's the most logical combination this list can offer.
The Bottom Line
If you're staying at the resort and don't want to leave, order a cocktail and save the wine for when you get back home. This list is a placeholder, not a program.
· Branson · Barbecue
Come to Gettin' Basted for the barbecue — not the wine. The $5 house pour is a service item, not a program, and there's no evidence anyone is minding the cellar (or even has one). Order a beer, enjoy the smoke, and don't think about wine until you're somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Branson · Italian-American
Pasghetti's isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that abundantly clear. If you're here for the pasta and the family-friendly Branson vibe, grab a Lambrusco and call it a night — but don't expect the wine program to be part of the reason you come back.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Branson · Seafood
Landry's Branson keeps its wine program simple to the point of invisibility — fair prices, familiar names, no bottles, no story. If you're here for the seafood and just want a glass of something reasonable alongside it, you won't suffer. But if wine matters to you even a little, this list wasn't built with you in mind.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pointe Royale / State Highway 165 corridor · Branson · Steakhouse
Saltgrass Pointe Royale isn't a wine destination, but it's not an embarrassment either — fair prices, drinkable pours, and a list that serves its purpose alongside a good steak. Send a friend here for the food; just tell them to skip the Meiomi.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Table Rock Lake / Marina area · Branson · Seafood / American
White River Fish House is not your wine destination in Branson, but it doesn't pretend to be — the list is safe, priced fairly, and sensible enough for what the kitchen is serving. Send a friend here for the lake views and the catfish; just tell them to stick to white wine and keep expectations calibrated accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Branson Hills / north Branson · Branson · Steakhouse
Saltgrass Branson isn't a wine destination, and it knows it — the list exists to serve the steak, and at these prices, it does that job competently. Send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation; send your wine-obsessed friends to dinner somewhere else first.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
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.
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