High roller heaven in Vegas: Shriners Children’s Open, TPC Summerlin, October 17-20, 2024

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If you’ve been following me at all through the PGA season, you know I do my homework, which typically involves googling an entire city’s collection of restaurants and stores in search of the best wine. Depending on the market, my research can take anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours or more. You also know I try hard to focus on local enterprises instead of, for example, big steakhouse chains or the dreaded Total Wine.   

Vegas is an entirely different animal since the best-known places are almost exclusively outposts of famous restaurants that have their roots somewhere else. As I started checking them out, I frequently had to navigate through the corporate hospitality portals, only to find that almost nobody posts a Vegas-specific wine list online, even legendary destinations like Aureole with their crystal wine tower and swinging wine angels.  

So, for the first and hopefully only time, I’m punting you over to the Wine Spectator, which has conveniently completed their own thorough evaluation of 55 restaurants, with stats, links, and maps. You can probably trust them in this glitzy high-roller world.  Speaking of Aureole, I learned they have 2670 different wines and a total inventory of 26,000 bottles. I’m guessing you can find something to drink on their list or many others. The only caveat is that I found multiple broken links from the Spectator site to individual Vegas restaurants. The link to Aureole for example, doesn’t work at all, and the Guy Savoy link will take you straight to Paris, which is great but not what you’re looking for. You’ll figure it out. 

Here's the Wine Spectator link, which is free to access as of this writing (you might need to re-enter Vegas in the search field): Wine Spectator Ratings Vegas Restaurants

UPDATE 2025!! As mentioned elsewhere, an operation called Star Wine List is also an outstanding source for good lists, although their target market leans more to wine professionals than consumers. Don’t let that deter you. Their “market guides” are free and generally terrific. Here are some strong lists from unaffiliated, non-chain restaurants, gleaned from the recently published Vegas guide, in no particular order, and with my own backspin:

Lotus of Siam. This well-loved Thai restaurant has a stunning list for two reasons. First, they aren’t afraid to let you know what goes with the food, as evidenced by about 20 pages of Rieslings. Don’t think you can’t find other regions-the world is wet represented. Second, the prices are often fantastic, with a ton of fun wines under $75, even stretching into the high end with multiple mature Bordeaux and Burgundy on offer, just for example. I don’t normally think of bargains in Vegas but this list gets it done.

Barry’s Downtown Prime on Fremont has a traditional high end list studded with trophies, but the prices are strictly Strip. You can find a Who’s Who of big budget blockbusters, with some nice verticals from the likes of Vega Sicilia Unico, Solaia, Dominos, etc. A tip of the hat for the presence of well-aged inventory in Bordeaux and elsewhere, like the tempting bottle of Produttori del Barbaresco 1961 ($750). Good global representation and a familiar feel if that’s what you’re looking for. Wine List.

If you like the sound of Barry’s, you’ll love Don’s Prime, where they see Barry’s bet and raise it by the max. Far greater depth and breadth in the classics, with a vastly bigger collection in Bordeaux and Burgundy and epic verticals. Carefully organized by appellation across the globe, this is the epitome of a great traditional list. Just be careful because you could blow your whole bankroll here.

Maybe you didn’t win (it happens) and a place like Barry or Don’s doesn’t make sense. If you want a list that can cure your blues try Ada’s Food and Wine, recognized recently as the “most original wine list in the world.” Bursting with bonhomie, lavish illustrations, and reasonable prices, the list invites you to let your hair down and surrender to a spirit of exploration and fun. Maybe you won’t recognize a lot of these wines but that doesn’t mean they’ve been randomly assembled. Wine List

Monzù is an elevated pizza joint with a quirky all-Italian list, the only one I’ve ever seen that starts in Sicily and works its way north. Red, white, sparkling and rose are all presented within their province, not scattered across the list. Prices are excellent, often only double retail, and every bottle comes with its own haiku-like description, some a simple list of fruits, others maybe reaching a bit too much. You’ll have to look yourself to see which wine is “the apex of the human spirit.” Wine List

Retail

Buying any kind of alcohol in Vegas conjures images of “Leaving Las Vegas.” But whether you’re drowning your sorrows, celebrating a big score, or just want to drink something good in your Airbnb without the added insult of Vegas restaurant mark-ups, the argument for Vegas retail can be made. Fortunately, there are two outstanding options at opposite ends of the spectrum. 

• Wally’s, the Vegas arm of a big LA operation, has everything. For some reason the website says “pick-up only,” but I called them and it’s probably a post-pandemic artifact cause retail is open. Frankly, it’s hard to believe they have everything they show on their website in ready inventory. Did you hit a million-dollar slot payout? Maybe the ’82 Lafite for $5900 is in order. Just beware to make sure you select “Nevada” in the upper left corner if you’re searching online.  

• Garagiste is a great pick if you want to take the low-intervention/artisanal path. Terrific selection of fun, natural-leaning wines from all over with nary a price above $80.