There is something quietly magical about sipping a glass of estate-crafted wine while the Absaroka Range glows amber in the late afternoon sun. That is exactly what awaits you at Thistle & Thorn Winery, a boutique winery tucked along the western edge of Cody that has been quietly winning over visitors and locals alike with its hand-crafted small-batch wines and genuinely warm hospitality.
Pull off Highway 14/16/20 heading toward Yellowstone and you will spot the modest timber-and-stone tasting room set back from the road, framed by native grasses and a scatter of wildflowers that give the property its name. The moment you step through the door, the rustic interior — reclaimed wood shelving, soft Edison lighting, and a long bar of polished local stone — tells you this is not a chain operation. This place has a soul.
Thistle & Thorn specializes in cold-hardy varietals and carefully sourced grapes from Wyoming and neighboring states, blended with the kind of patience and craftsmanship that most large wineries simply cannot afford. Their flagship High Plains Red, a robust blend of Marquette and Frontenac grapes, carries a depth of flavor that surprises first-time visitors who assume Wyoming and fine wine do not belong in the same sentence. The Sage Blanc — a crisp, aromatic white with hints of green apple and citrus — pairs beautifully with the locally sourced charcuterie boards the staff assembles fresh each afternoon.
What sets this tasting room apart from the average pour-and-move-on experience is the pace. There is no rush here. The staff genuinely wants to talk about the wine, about Cody, about the valley spread out just beyond the windows. On a good day, one of the winemakers is on hand to walk you through the production process, explaining how Wyoming’s dramatic temperature swings actually concentrate flavor in ways that warmer climates cannot replicate. It is the kind of conversation that turns a casual drop-in into a two-hour afternoon well spent.
The outdoor terrace is where things get truly spectacular. A handful of weathered wooden tables face the mountains, and on clear evenings the sky puts on a color show that no photographer has ever quite done justice. Bring a sweater in shoulder season — evenings cool fast at elevation — and settle in. Order a flight, share a board, and let the silence of the high plains do its work on you.
Thistle & Thorn is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon until six in the evening, with extended hours on Fridays during summer. They offer a small but well-curated wine club for those who want a taste of Cody delivered to their door long after the trip is over. Bottles are also available for purchase to take home, which solves at least one souvenir dilemma elegantly.
Cody’s reputation rightly rests on rodeos, rivers, and the great outdoors. But the town has always had more layers than the brochures let on. Thistle & Thorn is one of those layers — unhurried, unpretentious, and utterly worth your afternoon.
