Cold beers and hot toddies are among the aprés-ski drinks of choice for many skiers and riders as they huddle together on ski resort decks, craft brewery patios, and inside dive bars. However, fun wine bars are increasingly popping up in ski towns, offering an elevated aprés-ski experience. Pair a post-ski glass of wine with a charcuterie board, and you’ve got it made. So we’ve scoured the country for the coolest spots to grab a glass of wine after a long ski day. Below you’ll find our picks of some of the top wine bars in America’s ski towns.
The Best Wine Bars in Ski Towns
Ridge Street Wine, Breckenridge, Colorado
Part wine shop, part bar, Ridge Street Wine is tucked away off Breckenridge’s Main Street. Owners Kenny and Ann are longtime skiers, with Ann beginning her career as a U.S. Ski Team and World Champion Team athlete in the mid-90s. After retiring from ski racing, she moved to Colorado and started pursuing her passion for wine. Ridge Street Wine’s team members hand-pick their wines, which guests can purchase by the bottle downstairs in their shop or by the glass upstairs at their tasting bar. Pair a bottle of wine with a selection of artisanal cheeses, chocolates, and paninis. Ridge Street Wine is the perfect aprés-ski stop for wine lovers after a day of skiing at Breckenridge Ski Resort.
Continental Divide Winery, Breckenridge, Colorado
Continental Divide Winery is another tasting room on Breckenridge’s Main Street. Dubbed the “world’s highest altitude winery,” Continental Divide Winery has been awarded several accolades including the “Best Colorado Winery Experience” by LUXLife Magazine. They produce all of their wines in a state-of-the-art winemaking facility in nearby Fairplay, where they also have a tasting room, at an elevation of more than 10,000 feet. Continental Divide Winery offers tasting flights and wines for purchase by the glass or bottle, while there are also a number of fun experiences, like a wine blending experience, which invites guests to create their own red wine blend to take home.

Root & Flower, Vail, Colorado
Root & Flower prides itself on an “approachable elegance” to welcome both seasoned wine drinkers and new wine lovers. They have more than 20 hand-picked wines and a varied, fun menu, which includes truffle popcorn and lobster-stuffed deviled eggs. The wine list is a showstopper, featuring rare, iconic wines like a 2008 Château Pavie Premier Grand Cru Classé Saint-Émilion and a 2005 Araujo Eisele Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Take in their bright and floral atmosphere while sipping your favorite varietal after a day of riding, or level up aprés-ski by enjoying a wine tasting or taking one of their cocktail making classes.

Element 47, Aspen, Colorado
Element 47, a Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant, led by Executive Chef Matt Zubrod, blends luxury dining with an Aspen-casual dress code to create a must-visit destination. The restaurant’s name pays homage to the element silver, number 47, on the periodic table. It’s a fitting homage since silver is what helped put Aspen on the map. Located inside Aspen’s 5-star hotel, The Little Nell, Element 47 has nearly 20,000 bottles of wine in its cellar, helping it earn a Grand Award every year since 1997. The Aspen wine bar is open for après-ski with a full list of wine by the glass that can be paired with the bar menu. Element 47 is the perfect way to round out a ski day, especially since it’s just steps from the Silver Queen Gondola.

Old Town Cellars, Park City, Utah
Old Town Cellars blends the rich history of winemaking with an authentic mountain town ambiance to create a Park City après-ski experience like none other. Located in the heart of Park City, this 19th-century silver mining lounge features a sommelier-crafted wine list, along with local craft beer. Old Town Cellars boasts a selection of uniquely crafted in-house blends, including an après series that features their Mountain Town Red, Mountain Town White, and the Townie Rosé. Enjoy wine tasting flights and thoughtfully paired wines with small bites. Old Town Cellars also hosts private events, tastings, and other unique experiences.

Corner Office Natural Wine, Taos, New Mexico
Corner Office Natural Wine Bar is a casual Taos wine bar that features an expansive selection of wines from around the world. Their wine menu focuses on natural wine, which in short means that the grapes have been grown organically, no chemicals or preservatives have been added, and there’s minimal intervention during the fermentation phase. (Learn more about natural wines from their write-up about them here.)
Corner Office’s food menu is the headliner with items like escargot, steak tartar, and Japanese charcoal grilled branzino. Renowned publications have taken note, as Corner Office was featured on Esquire’s ‘Best New Restaurants of 2023’ list. Taos Ski Valley is 30 minutes from this wine bar, making it the perfect stop after a day on the hill. Note that Corner Office Natural Wine Bar is walk-in only except for groups of six or more.
The Idle Hour, South Lake Tahoe, California
Lake Tahoe’s location in Northern California puts it close to many great wine regions like Sonoma and Napa, while even closer are more than 70 wineries in El Dorado County. Wine lovers will find a number of great places to enjoy a glass of local and regional wine near ski resorts, including The Idle Hour in South Lake Tahoe, which is just minutes from Heavenly Ski Resort. Owner and founder Karen Walsh spent years turning this old office with a view into a stunning, multi-floor, lakefront après-ski dream that feels like home. Pair the stunning lake view with wines from California and beyond. The Idle Hour serves small bites, fondue, pizza, charcuterie, and more that guests can enjoy while sipping any number of wines from their 200-bottle wine list.

Glasses Wine Bar, North Lake Tahoe, California
On the other side of Lake Tahoe, in Incline Village, guests can combine their love for sipping and reading for a one-of-a-kind après-ski experience at Glasses Wine Bar. This fun North Lake Tahoe wine bar was brought to life by owners, Kathleen and Rob, who after retiring, wanted to create the type of local wine bar that they’d want to hang out in. Glasses Wine Bar serves 26 wines by the glass, and has a small offering of snacks available for purchase. Guests can also bring in their own food.
Glasses Wine Bar has a variety of books and games for guests to enjoy, with everything from popular magazines to romance novels to fun games like Cards Against Humanity. You can even bring in your own games. Grab a seat on one of their cozy couches and curl up with a good book and a glass of vino. Glasses Wine Bar also hosts a Wine Club and has weekly literary-inspired events and happy hours.

Sun Valley Wine Company, Ketchum, Idaho
At the center of Sun Valley Wine Company‘s tasting room is a roaring fireplace surrounded by cozy couches that invites skiers and non-skiers alike to relax, unwind, and connect. It’s a reflection of the family-owned company itself, which brought together their family’s love for Sun Valley skiing and wine to a community-oriented space. The Ketchum wine bar boasts an astonishing 1,000 different bottles of wine, and has a wide-range of food offerings for guests to pair it with, including meat and cheese boards, wings, ribs, and more. Sun Valley Wine Company is always adding new events for guests like live music, special tastings, conversations with winemakers, and paint and sip classes.
Stoller Wine Bar, Bend, Oregon
Stroller Wine Bar has made a name for itself in Oregon, and beyond, as it was recently named one of the 10 best tasting rooms by USA Today readers. While we’re highlighting their Box Factory location in Bend, their wine can also be enjoyed at the Stoller Family Estate in Dayton and the Chehalem Winery in Newberg Oregon. Stoller Wine Bar in Bend is described as a “blend of small-town hospitality and urban style.” They offer unique flights comprised of locally made wine, including the Stoller Single Acre Riesling, Stoller Estate Pinot Noir, and the Stoller Winemaker’s Series Heritage Clones Pinot Noir. Pair these with delicious items from their food menu like sashimi grade tuna tartare or a strawberry and feta flatbread.
Stoller hosts fun events like Trivia with Terrance on the first Tuesday of every month. The winning team receives a Box Factory Basket that’s filled with products from local establishments.

Seven Birches Winery, Lincoln, New Hampshire
Seven Birches Winery shares that they embrace the “spirit of New Hampshire.” This is evident in many of its products, including wines using locally grown grapes, and their Rhythm Cider brand that uses New England apples. Located at the gorgeous RiverWalk Resort at Loon Mountain, their tasting room and winery adds a level of luxury and elegance to Lincoln. Established in 2010, and moving to Loon Mountain in 2016, Seven Birches Winery features a beautiful space for guests to sample wine. They also host fun events you won’t just find at any ski town wine bar, including winery tours and ‘Meet the Winemakers’ events on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The ciders from Seven Birches’ cider brand can be sampled in the tasting room and at RiverWalk’s Rhythm Tap & Grille. Join their Wine Club for extra perks and deals on events and new wine releases.
Cork Restaurant & Natural Wine Shop, Stowe, Vermont
Founded by native Stowe sisters, Danielle & Katie Nichols, Cork is the first and only natural wine shop and restaurant in Vermont. Daniell and Katie hand-pick wines from organic or biodynamic vineyards that don’t use pesticides, chemicals, and fertilizers. Those who love their natural wines can join Cork’s wine club, which is particularly convenient for locals and those who visit Stowe frequently. Cork’s restaurant uses fresh, local ingredients for its dishes, which includes yummy apps, pastas, steak, seafood, and more. The Stowe wine shop often hosts free wine tastings and live music nights. Check Cork’s website for the latest events.

Header image: ©Dan Campbell / Park City / Vail Resorts