Alaska's quirkiest wine stop, no grapes required
Girdwood · Anchorage · Winery Restaurant / Taproom · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 21, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Bear Creek Winery Loft feels like stumbling onto a secret — a proper Alaskan winery tucked into a ski village, pouring estate-made fruit wines you won't find anywhere else on earth. The rustic loft atmosphere does the heavy lifting, and the list is short but completely committed to its own weird, wonderful lane. This isn't a place you come to find a Napa Cab; it's a place you come to drink something genuinely one-of-a-kind.
The list runs maybe 15-30 bottles, and the vast majority of that real estate belongs to Bear Creek's own estate fruit wines — rhubarb, berry, and other Alaska-grown expressions that lean sweet to semi-sweet and genuinely reflect where you are. There's a nod to Pacific Northwest wines for guests who want something more conventional, but that's clearly not the point here. The depth is narrow by design, and within that narrow lane, the selection is thoughtful rather than lazy. You're not getting Burgundy flights, but you are getting wines that nobody else in the world is making quite like this.
Six to twelve pours by the glass keeps things accessible, and the estate wines dominate the pour list — which is exactly how it should be at a working winery. Rotation appears limited; this is a set program rather than a dynamic one that changes week to week. That's fine given the context — you're here to taste what Bear Creek makes, not to hunt for a rotating guest producer.
Bear Creek Winery Rhubarb Wine — Unknown
The rhubarb wine is the signature pour and the reason to be here — an estate expression you simply cannot replicate anywhere else. Whatever it costs by the glass, it's worth it purely for the novelty and the genuine craft behind it.
Bear Creek Winery Berry Wine
Easy to dismiss as a sweet novelty, but the berry wines from Bear Creek are made from actual Alaskan-grown fruit and carry a tart, vivid character that surprises people expecting candy. Order it alongside the charcuterie board and reassess.
Pacific Northwest Wines
The PNW options on the list exist as a safety net for guests who won't venture into fruit wine territory — but you're at a winery in Alaska. Ordering a generic Washington red here is like going to a ramen shop and ordering the grilled cheese. Don't do it.
Bear Creek Winery Rhubarb Wine + Local Cheese Board
The bright acidity and gentle sweetness in the rhubarb wine cuts right through fatty aged cheeses and acts almost like a condiment — tart, fruity, and alive. It's the most natural pairing on the menu and the one the kitchen probably had in mind.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Bear Creek Winery Loft earns its Wild Card badge honestly — it's not trying to be a serious wine destination and doesn't need to be. If you're in Girdwood and you skip this in favor of a hotel bar pour, you've made a mistake you'll regret when you're back home explaining why you didn't try the rhubarb wine made in Alaska.
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