Italy In Your Backyard, With A Tax
Sellwood-Moreland · Portland · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 17, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed a Cena Ristorante’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at a Cena reads like a love letter to Italy — Piedmont, Friuli, Sardegna, Tuscany, all accounted for, nothing wasted on crowd-pleasing filler. It's compact but clearly curated by someone who actually cares, and it fits the room: intimate, candle-lit, the kind of place where you don't want a 12-page wine bible anyway. The only thing that dims the glow a little is what you're paying for that care.
The list stays almost entirely Italian, which is exactly right for a neighborhood trattoria of this caliber. You'll find serious Piedmontese reds — Barbera d'Alba from Ruggeri Corsini and Elio Grasso, plus Produttori del Barbaresco's Langhe Nebbiolo as a more accessible entry into that world — alongside Tuscan heavyweights and a genuinely good showing of northern Italian whites from Friuli and the Veneto. The Ca' del Bosco Franciacorta is a standout bubbles pick that most Portland restaurants wouldn't bother stocking. Gaps are minor: you're not getting much outside Italy, and natural wine explorers will need to look elsewhere.
We estimate 8–14 pours on any given night, rotating with the seasonal menu. The glass program appears to lean toward approachable Italian varietals — expect Barbera, Pinot Grigio, and lighter Tuscan reds to anchor the list. Rotation seems occasional rather than aggressive, so if something intrigues you, order it before it's gone.
Elio Grasso Barbera d'Alba Vigna Martina 2021 — $81
Yes, $81 is real money for a Barbera. But Elio Grasso is one of Piedmont's benchmark producers and this single-vineyard bottling retails around $40 — so the markup is actually the most reasonable on the list at roughly 2x. For the quality and the provenance, it's the bottle we'd order without hesitation.
Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo 2021
Most tables will walk past this at $59 and order something they recognize. That's a mistake. Produttori del Barbaresco is a legendary cooperative, and their Langhe Nebbiolo is essentially baby Barbaresco — same terroir, earlier drinking, all the tar-and-roses DNA you want. It's the sleeper pick on this list.
Reguta Pinot Grigio delle Venezie 2022
A $12 retail bottle on the shelf for $38 is a 217% markup — the worst value play on the list. Reguta is a fine, inoffensive Pinot Grigio, but at this price you're paying for the category name, not the wine. Spend $14 more and get the Livio Felluga Collio instead. It's a different conversation entirely.
G.D. Vajra Langhe Rosso 2022 + Osso Buco
G.D. Vajra's Langhe Rosso is a blend built around Nebbiolo with Barbera and Dolcetto softening the edges — earthy, bright-acidic, just enough structure to cut through the braised richness of the osso buco without steamrolling the gremolata. At $48 it's the most approachable red on the list and the one we'd reach for mid-week without overthinking it.
The Bottom Line
a Cena is the kind of Italian spot that earns your loyalty with its kitchen and your mild frustration with its wine pricing — markups run steep across the board, but the list is honest, focused, and well above what you'd expect from a Sellwood neighborhood spot. Go for the Elio Grasso, skip the Pinot Grigio trap, and enjoy the room.
Dundee · Portland · Italian, French, American
The official site identifies The Dundee Bistro as closed. The wine selections described here are historical context, not current availability. This notice does not establish a closure date or a future reopening.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Pearl District · Portland · Italian/Mediterranean
A restaurant list with 15 pours by the glass from $11 to $17 and a bottle list from 40 to 1100, split by country. Start with the Hacienda Lopez de Haro Rioja Crianza '22 at $12, or the Tenuta di Lilliano Chianti Classico '22 at $16 alongside the Radiatore, and confirm prices because the list is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Southeast Portland · Portland · Charcuterie/American
A charcuterie restaurant with a natural-leaning wine list and a 12-pour glass list on the dinner menu. Start with the $14/glass Hoppenot gamay, or split the $55 Stick Figurine orange wine across a board, and confirm current availability. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
King · Portland · Spanish
A Spanish tapas-bar wine page with glass and bottle prices from 13/50 and a ten-sherry list. Start with the Pago del Cielo Celeste Verdejo at 13 a glass, try the chilled Vara y Pulgar Tintilla at 17 if you want something different, and order the Miquel Pons Cava with the croquetas. The page says the posted menu may differ from the restaurant's, so confirm prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Portland · New American with Asian Influences
A long list sorted by style, with glass pours from $9.50 to $20, a Coravin tier above that, and bottles that climb to $750. Start with the A to Z at $13.50 or the Roederer Estate Brut at $20, and confirm current prices because the list isn't dated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Alberta Arts · Portland · Italian
An Italian-leaning bottle list with an Oregon side, and no glass pours posted. Order the $65 Bow and Arrow Gamay, or the $65 Keltis 'Zan White' Slovenian Orange Blend if you want an orange wine, and confirm availability. This unrated guide covers the posted Spring & Summer ’26 beverage menu, not service, storage or markups.
· Dacula · Italian
Antonetas isn't a wine destination, and it isn't trying to be — it's a family-friendly neighborhood Italian with a wine list that covers the basics and stays out of the way. If you're after a solid glass of something red with your Lasagna in a no-fuss setting, you won't be disappointed. Just don't show up expecting to geek out over the list.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Alpharetta · Italian
Crust is a solid neighborhood Italian spot where the wine list is a supporting player, not the headliner — and that's fine. Come for the rigatoni alla vodka and garlic knots; order a glass of whatever red they're pouring and don't overthink it. We'd send a friend here for dinner without hesitation, just not for the wine list alone.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Marietta · Italian
Vespucci's isn't a wine destination, but it doesn't pretend to be — and that honesty is refreshing. The one move that earns real respect here is the Monday half-price bottle deal, which turns an ordinary weeknight into a genuinely good value. Show up on a Monday, order the Eggplant Parmigiana, grab a bottle at half price, and you've had a solid dinner without thinking too hard about it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
