Wine Lover’s Guide To Telluride. Known for world-class skiing and pristine alpine views, Telluride also offers a booming culinary scene, with renowned chefs crafting one-of-a-kind mountain cuisine and skilled sommeliers finding the perfect wines to match.
And, while Colorado as a whole is well known for the craft beer scene, Telluride balances the grain with grape. The wine scene in Telluride is expansive, ranging from high-end eateries with in-house sommelier teams to hole-in-the-wall local favorites with great happy hour deals.
No matter your price point or varietal preference, there’s a spot in town for professional palates and vino enthusiasts alike!
Enjoy our Wine’s Lover’s Guide to Telluride and pencil in a few of our favorite spots onto your vacation itinerary.
Enjoy A Glass At These Top Telluride Wine Bars
Looking to sip in style? These Telluride restaurants feature award-winning wine lists and in-house experts to help you find the perfect palate pleasing accompaniment.
12100 Camels’ Garden Rd, Colorado 81320 | (970) 728-7560
Hours: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., Daily in Winter
Not just fun to say, Alpino Vino is also known for being the highest elevation fine-dining restaurant in the nation. Sitting at almost 12,000 feet high, this charming European-inspired eaters features Italian alpine cuisine and a fantastic worldly wine list to match. Open for lunch and dinner during the winter season (no summer service), Alpino Vino offers an a la carte lunch menu and a set five-course dinner menu with an optional wine pairing (you’ll want to splurge for the pairing—trust us). The cozy, rustic atmosphere provides the perfect backdrop to enjoy a beautiful glass of wine on top of the world.
301 Gus’s Way, Telluride, CO 81435 | (970) 728-1292
Hours: 4 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., Daily
Located inside the posh Hotel Columbia, Cosmopolitan truly lives up to its name, with a modern, chic atmosphere and contemporary cuisine to match. Embracing a modern approach to wine, the bar features a variety of rotating wines on tap, which makes high-end wines easily available by the glass. The expansive wine list offers an impressive variety of wines by the glass in addition to full and half-bottles. You’ll have well over a hundred wines to select from across the globe—but don’t be intimidated. The house sommelier is happy to assist if you need help picking the perfect pairing. The Cosmopolitan has been awarded the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for nine consecutive years, making it Telluride’s top spot for worldly wine enthusiasts.
114 E Colorado Ave, Telluride, CO 81435 | (970) 728-4046
Hours: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., Daily
Great wines aren’t limited to Telluride’s high-end dining scene. Rustico Ristorante is the perfect example of a casual, come-as-you-are restaurant that features beautifully crafted, authentic Italian eats and a generous Italian wine selection to match. Rustico Ristorante goes above and beyond to train their staff on everything from the specific methods of vinification to the subtle nuances that different varietals and regions produce—so rest assured that you are in great hands. The cellar at Rustico hands down offers the best selection of Italian wines in Telluride.
San Sophia Gondola Station, Telluride, CO 81435 | (970) 728-7474
Hours: Dinner 5:30 – 9 p.m. | Bar Opens at 5 p.m., Daily
Like your vino with a view? Ride the free gondola to San Sophia station at the top of the mountain and enjoy fine wine along with breathtaking valley views. Grab a seat at the bar or indulge in a full-blown meal in the dining room and watch the sun set over the valley. The sommelier staff will guide you to the best wine selection for your taste and your meal. Allred’s was awarded Best of Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator in 2018 and is a top-notch wine experience in a high-end mountain setting. When you can’t get to Alpino Vino or Bon Vivant in summer, this is your quintessential mountain wine lover’s experience.
Top of Polar Queen Express Lift, Mountain Village, CO 81435 | 970-728-7570
Hours: Weather dependent, please call for info – Winter Only
Loosely translated, “Bon Vivant” refers to “a person who enjoys a social and luxurious life.” If that describes you, Bon Vivant is calling your name! Featuring a French-focused menu and sweeping views of Palmyra and the Wilson Range, Bon Vivant enjoys a rich reputation as Telluride’s premier on-mountain dining venue. The menu, designed by “Telluride Top Chef” Jared Campbell, is a mixture of classical French country cuisine and his own contemporary creations. The all-French wine list is not to be overlooked and the friendly and knowledgeable service staff actively work to enrich your experience.
221 S Oak St, Telluride, CO 81435 | (970) 728-9507
Hours: 5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Owned and operated by Top Chef contestant Eliza Gavin (really—she was on season 10!), 221 South Oak offers elevated alpine cuisine in an upscale atmosphere. The menu uses locally sourced ingredients whenever possible to highlight the unique flavors of Telluride, and the in-house sommelier sources creative and flavorful wines to match the unique menu items. In addition to stellar dining, 221 South Oak offers cooking and wine pairing classes throughout the year—a ‘must do’ event if you can snag a spot in a class
Grab A Bottle To Go At These Telluride Wine Shops
While wining and dining is great, sometimes you can’t beat enjoying a great glass of wine in your pajamas in front of a roaring fire. If that plan sounds more your speed, snag a bottle or two at these local shops.
Mountain Village Wine Merchant
622 Mountain Village Blvd. #100 /970-615-1077
Hours 10-8, Daily
Mountain Village Wine Merchant is a long-time dream of Telluride local Sommelier Bryan Thames: to open a shop with a personally selected inventory.
Bryan enjoys offering expert recommendations to customers, whether for a single bottle to pair with dinner, a selection to get through the holidays, or stocking your wine cellar.
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Telluride Liquor & Wine Shop
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Photo Credit: telluride.com
123 E Colorado Ave, Telluride, CO 81435 | (970) 728-3380
Hours: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Daily
Conveniently located in the heart of downtown Telluride, this local wine and liquor shop offers a variety of wine, beer, and spirits.
220 S Davis St, Telluride, CO 81435 | (970) 728-9463
Hours: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., Daily
Find unique, small batch wines and fast, friendly service at this boutique wine store. Wine Mine carries an impressive array of wines from across the globe at great prices.
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Photo Credit: telluridebottleworks.com
129 W San Juan Ave, Telluride, CO 81435 | (970) 728-5553
Hours: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., Daily
With over 1,500 labels, Telluride Bottle Works offers the region’s most impressive cellar collection. And, Bottle Works offers a convenient delivery service to help you stock your vacation rental.
Are you ready to sip and savor your way through Telluride?
Explore our expansive selection of Telluride vacation rentals and visit our official Telluride blog to stay up to date on the area’s latest attractions, events (including our local food/wine festivals: Telluride Reserve and Telluride Wine Festival), and more!