Venice on the Providence waterfront, wine included
Federal Hill · Providence · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Al Forno’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Al Forno reads like a love letter to the Veneto — and honestly, given the wood-fired Italian cooking coming out of that open kitchen, that's not a bad thing. It's focused and intentional, not scattered. You won't find yourself flipping through pages of random California Cabs here.
The list leans hard into northeastern Italy, with a clear Veneto spine running from entry-level Valpolicella Classico all the way up to aged Amarone. The 2016 Amarone Crosara de le Strie and the 2013 Amarone Riserva Monte Danieli are the headline acts, and they're legit. That said, if you're hoping for Piedmont, Tuscany, or anything outside Italy, you're going to be disappointed — the geographic range is narrow enough that it starts to feel limiting by the time you're ordering a second bottle. The Ripasso fills the middle tier nicely, but there's a noticeable gap in white wine depth.
Eight to fourteen pours by the glass is a workable range for a restaurant this size, and the Carpene Malvolti Prosecco is a solid opener — familiar enough to not scare anyone off, but a legitimate producer rather than anonymous bubbles. The glass program mirrors the bottle list's Veneto focus, which means you're getting consistent quality within a narrow lane.
2021 Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso — $55
Ripasso hits the sweet spot for this kitchen — enough body and dried-fruit richness to hold up to the wood-fired flavors without requiring you to commit to a full Amarone price tag. It's the move for a table that's ordering across the menu.
2022 Valpolicella Classico
Most people at a table with Amarone on the list will walk right past the Classico, and that's a mistake. A good Valpolicella Classico is lighter, brighter, and frankly more food-friendly for a multi-course Italian dinner than its heavier Veneto cousins. Don't sleep on it.
2013 Amarone Riserva Monte Danieli
The wine itself is probably excellent, but Amarone Riserva at a restaurant markup on a decade-old vintage is a significant spend — and without a knowledgeable floor staff to walk you through what you're buying, you're paying a premium largely on faith. Save this one for a shop where you can do the homework first.
2016 Amarone Crosara de le Strie + Dirty Steak with Hot Fanny Sauce
Amarone's concentrated dark fruit and grippy tannins are built for char and fat. The Dirty Steak's wood-fired crust and assertive sauce need something with enough structure to push back — this Amarone doesn't flinch.
The Bottom Line
Al Forno is a Veneto specialist in a city that mostly plays it safe with Italian wine, and there's real value in that focus. Just go in knowing the list won't surprise you geographically, and the markup means you're paying for the room as much as the bottle.
· Providence · Restaurant
Mare Rooftop is a great place to watch the sunset with a cold glass of Whispering Angel — and that's about the ceiling of its wine ambition. If you're here for the view and the vibe, lean into it; if you showed up hoping for a thoughtful wine experience, you're in the wrong place.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Providence · Italian (modern trattoria)
Sarto's wine list is a credible, Italy-focused program that earns its place in a serious Italian kitchen — just go in knowing the markups lean steep and the list doesn't reward wandering outside the boot. Order the Vermentino, eat the pasta, and you'll leave happy.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Federal Hill · Providence · Italian-American
Joe Marzilli's Old Canteen is a Providence legend for its food and its history, not its wine list — which reads like something assembled in 1994 and never reconsidered. Come for the veal cutlet and the nostalgia, but don't let the wine list talk you into spending $48 on a Kendall-Jackson.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Side · Providence · American Brasserie (French-Influenced)
Red Stripe isn't a wine destination, but it's not pretending to be one either. Fair prices on recognizable bottles in a lively room that actually makes you want to stay for another glass — that's a respectable thing to get right.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Providence · Providence · Upscale American Steakhouse with Seafood
The Capital Grille Providence is a well-oiled machine with a wine program that earns more respect than most chains deserve — the depth is real, the staff knows the list, and the Generous Pour event is a legit reason to show up. The markups are steep and the soul is corporate, but if someone else is expensing dinner, you could do a lot worse.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Downtown Providence · Providence · Seafood
Hemenway's is the rare seafood institution that earns its reputation on the wine side too — the sommelier presence is real, the French whites are well-chosen, and the list is built with actual intention. The markups are real and the BTG program could use more energy, but if you're eating raw bar in Providence, you could do a lot worse than starting with a glass of Fèvre Chablis here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Atlanta · Italian
Bici's wine list won't knock you sideways, but it's honest, Italian-focused, and fairly priced — a reliable partner to the food. We'd send a friend here and tell them to skip the Sauvignon Blanc and go straight for the Greco.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Parkway / Elks Plaza · Gatlinburg · Italian
The Best Italian's wine list does exactly what it needs to do: keep casual diners happy, not drain wallets, and get out of the way of the garlic knots. We wouldn't drive to Gatlinburg for the wine, but if you're already there and want something decent with dinner, you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail Village · Vail · Italian
La Nonna brings a legitimately serious Italian cellar to a town where most restaurants are content to coast on their ski-town captive audience — and that deserves real credit. The markups are steep across the board, but the bones of the list are strong enough that the right bottle makes the whole evening.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
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
