Solid pours, tacos, zero pretension
Old Colorado City · Colorado Springs · Mexican · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 9, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Zocalo’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Zocalo isn't trying to impress you — and that's actually fine. It's short, approachable, and tilted toward the kind of bottles that work with chips and salsa without making you do homework. This is a margarita-first room, but the wine program pulls its weight without embarrassing itself.
Twenty-odd bottles spanning Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Italy, and California — it reads like a well-curated supermarket aisle, which is meant as a mild compliment. The South American lean makes sense here: Malbec and Cab from Argentina and Chile have an affinity for bold, spiced food. There's no real old-world depth, no Rioja, no Rhône, nothing that would make a wine nerd linger. But Portillo Pinot Noir and Piattelli Malbec are honest producers doing honest work, and that counts for something.
Six-plus options by the glass in the $10–$14 range is a reasonable spread for a casual Mexican spot. The selection mirrors the bottle list — you're choosing between familiar, food-friendly whites and reds rather than anything adventurous. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority here, so don't expect seasonal surprises.
Portillo Pinot Noir — $14
Portillo from Mendoza punches well above its price class — bright red fruit, enough structure to handle enchilada sauce, and zero fuss. At glass price, it's the most interesting pour on the list.
Pine Ridge White Blend
A Napa white blend on a Mexican restaurant list is an odd duck, which is exactly why most people walk past it. Pine Ridge's Chenin Blanc-Viognier base has the floral lift and acidity to cut through rich, cheesy dishes in a way the Pinot Grigio can't.
Murphy-Goode Cabernet Sauvignon
Murphy-Goode is a reliable grocery-store Cab, but it's the least interesting pick on a list that already has better red options from South America. Nothing wrong with it — just nothing right with it either.
Piattelli Malbec + Tacos
Piattelli's Malbec has the dark fruit and soft tannins to stand up to grilled meat fillings without steamrolling the toppings. It's the natural handshake between Argentina's signature grape and whatever's coming out of that kitchen.
The Bottom Line
Zocalo isn't your wine destination — it's your Tuesday taco spot that won't make you drink bad wine. If you're not ordering a margarita, grab the Portillo or the Malbec and call it a solid night.
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
Vail Village · Vail · Mexican
Los Amigos is a Vail institution built on margaritas, mountain vibes, and nachos — and it delivers all three with confidence. The wine list is clearly not the point, and if you order off it expecting more than a simple, overpriced pour to wash down your tacos, that's on you.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
13th Street area · Hood River · Mexican
Hood River Taqueria is here for the tacos and the margaritas, and that's completely fine — but the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved knows it. Order the cocktails, leave the wine to restaurants that care.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Uptown Sedona · Sedona · Mexican
Oaxaca isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — come for the rooftop patio, the margaritas, and the chile verde. But the list is priced fairly, the Torres and Ste. Michelle picks are dependable, and you won't regret a glass of Rioja with your enchiladas.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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