600 Bottles Deep in Chicago's Most Serious Italian Cellar
Gold Coast · Chicago · Modern Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated March 2026
Reviewed March 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list hits the table like a leather-bound encyclopedia, and it's not showing off — there are actually 600+ bottles in this cellar. This is a serious Italian wine program that respects Barolo the way it deserves, with vertical depth on producers like Gaja and Aldo Conterno, plus enough Burgundy and California to keep non-Italophiles happy.
The Italian side is where Adalina shows its hand: proper allocations of Fontodi, Giuseppe Quintarelli, and a Barolo section that could anchor a wine shop. France gets equal respect with Bouchard Père & Fils Meursault and serious Champagne including Dom Pérignon and Billecart-Salmon Rosé. California isn't an afterthought either — Sea Smoke, Stag's Leap Artemis, and big-flex magnums of Harlan Estate and Hundred Acre prove they're not allergic to New World. The markup sampling shows restraint: Paolo Scavino Barolo at 80% over retail is practically generous for a Gold Coast dining room, while everyday pours like Chianti Classico at 172% are reasonable for the setting.
The glass program runs 18-25 pours and punches above typical restaurant fare. You can get Barolo by Silvano Bolmida, Amarone, and Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne without committing to a bottle — that's a power move. Sancerre from J. de Villebois, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, and Nero d'Avola round out a program that assumes you want real wine, not house plonk.
Paolo Scavino Barolo 2021 — $180
Only 80% over retail for one of Piedmont's elite producers is a steal in this market — and with their Bone-In Ribeye, it's a no-brainer
Nero d'Avola (glass)
Sicilian red by the glass in an Italian restaurant full of Barolos? Everyone's sleeping on this pour, but it's got the structure to stand up to their richer pastas
Lunardi Pinot Grigio 2024
273% markup on a $15 retail bottle is the kind of gouging that makes people order cocktails instead — there are better Italian whites on this list
Fontodi Chianti Classico + Crab Agnolotti
The wine's bright acidity and herbal notes cut through the richness of crab and pasta while the Sangiovese's red fruit doesn't overpower delicate seafood
🔥 The Bottom Line
This is the wine list you wish every Italian restaurant in America had. Serious depth, fair pricing on the bottles that matter, and a sommelier team that actually cares.
West Loop · Chicago · Californian
The Oakville Grill earns its Wine Spectator credential and the sommelier duo makes this list accessible, not intimidating. Wednesday half-price wine night alone is reason enough to get a reservation — just let go of the idea that anything other than California is on the agenda.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Lincoln Park · Chicago · American
John's is a neighborhood spot that punches well above its casual format — two sommeliers, a thoughtful France-and-California list, fair prices, and half-price bottles every Monday. Send your friends here, especially on a Monday.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
River North · Chicago · American, Seafood
Terrace 16 earns its Wine Spectator badge and delivers a respectable, California-and-France-focused list in one of Chicago's most dramatic dining rooms. Just don't expect to be surprised — the wine is as reliable as the skyline view, and nearly as expensive.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
River North · Chicago · French, Indian
Indienne is the Wild Card in the truest sense — a fusion kitchen with a genuinely considered wine program that earns its Wine Spectator nod. Yes, send a friend here for wine, but make sure they skip the Napa Cab and lead with Riesling.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
West Loop · Chicago · Steak house
BLVD Steakhouse doesn't reinvent the steakhouse wine list, but it executes the formula competently — solid producers, proper storage, and enough range to keep a table of Cab loyalists happy all night. Just go in with your eyes open on the markups and skip the trophy-bottle trap.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Magnificent Mile · Chicago · American
Adorn is a reliable, well-staffed wine program in a high-overhead setting — you're paying for the view and the address, but the list itself is legitimate. Send a friend here who wants solid French and California bottles without doing homework first.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Leawood · Overland Park · Modern Italian
North Italia Overland Park is a reliable place to eat well and drink adequately — just don't come here expecting the wine list to surprise you. Order the Santa Cristina, eat the pasta, and have a good time.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
National Landing / Crystal City · Arlington · Modern Italian
Corso is a dependable Italian wine list in a neighborhood that could easily get away with doing much less — it doesn't dazzle, but it doesn't disappoint either. If the Wednesday half-price bottle rumor holds up when you call ahead, it might just tip into genuinely great value territory.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Legacy West · Plano · Modern Italian
North Italia Plano is a perfectly functional wine stop that the Sunday half-price bottle deal quietly turns into something worth planning around. Come any other night and you're paying for the atmosphere as much as what's in the glass.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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