Troy Bowen for Westword
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Denver has no shortage of good wine. The surprise is finding a good wine list somewhere that had absolutely no reason to bother offering one.
Think a tap room that slides a Kermit Lynch Nebbiolo between the hazy IPAs. Or a community art bar running on vibes and velvet couches with a killer natural wine list. Or a new Capitol Hill spot that opened its doors pouring the last bottles from a winemaker who has called it quits for good.
These are the lists nobody asked for, and certainly nobody expected, from people who give a damn anyway.
Troy Bowen for Westword
Pigeon
1431 Ogden St.
The wine list at this new Capitol Hill bar from the owners of Pon Pon opens with a quiet goodbye: the Margins ‘Neutral Oak Hotel’ Red, a California blend from winemaker Megan Bell, who announced this year she’s closing up shop for good. The wine — Grenache, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and a few others — is vibrant and layered, power and finesse trading off with each sip. Get it while it exists. The rest of the list, put together by co-owner and General Manager Andy Rauworth, holds the same farmer-focused, naturally-made ethos, including a sake that earns its spot on a wine list rather than just occupying one, plus a Bavik pilsner on draft. All glasses $10–$12.
Troy Bowen for Westword
Ft. Greene
321 E. 45th Ave.
Ten years in, Ft. Greene remains the bar regulars are reluctant to talk about too loudly for fear of blowing up their local hang. With its velvet couches, vintage backbar, multiple rooms and great patio, Ft. Greene has hosted book clubs, DJ sets, pop-ups and more than a few weddings. Owner Eleanor Cheetham runs it as an arts-forward community space first. The drinks are well considered, but are there to support connection, not distract from it. That philosophy extends to the wine list itself: natural wines, which have recently included selections from the woman-owned New York importer Super Glou, plus house-selected “Featured Pours” that change with whatever has lately caught the staff’s interest. No need to look up the list before you arrive. The point is to show up, trust the room, and let someone who cares make the call. Glasses at $12.
Troy Bowen for Westword
4 Noses Park Hill
4040 Dahlia St.
8855 W 116th, Broomfield
Breweries often have wine. They are not obligated to have good wine. At the 4 Noses taprooms, someone clearly didn’t get that memo. Alongside the expected Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay is a German white made from Müller-Thurgau — a grape that splits the difference between Sauvignon Blanc’s acidity and something more mineral and floral, with a kaffir lime snap that genuinely surprises. For reds, the Elvio Tintero Nebbiolo from importer Kermit Lynch — with notes of rose petals, earth, cherry — goes for $13 a glass and has no business being on a tap room list. Tommy Bibliowicz, one of the four “noses” behind the name, compiles the list, offering each location ways to make wine mouths happy.
Troy Bowen for Westword
Point Easy
2000 E. 28th Ave
The wine list at this Whittier bar changes often enough that specifics may shift, but the through-line doesn’t. Wine Director Chris Oakley is building this list with genuine range and intention. On a recent visit, the reds alone ran from a crunchy $13 Dolcetto to a $25 Nebbiolo, both from Piedmont. Then a 2020 Marine Descombe Beaujolais and a J. Bouchon ‘Pais Salvaje’ from Chile rounded out the middle with just enough funk to make food pairing feel like a game worth playing. The staff knows the list well enough to guide you through it. With this much care and attention on offer, it’s clear that the point is for it to be easy.
