Veneto Deep Dive in a New England Icon
Downtown · Providence · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 12, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Al Forno Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Al Forno is one of those restaurants that gets away with a lot on reputation alone — and honestly, the wine list follows that same energy. It's tight, it's regional, and it's unapologetically Veneto. If you walked in expecting a sprawling globe-trotting list, recalibrate.
The list reads like a love letter to northeastern Italy, walking you from entry-level Valpolicella Classico all the way up to aged Amarone Riserva. That's a focused narrative, and we respect it — but it does mean zero representation for Tuscany, Piedmont, or anything outside the Veneto bubble. The Carpene Malvolti Prosecco keeps things approachable at the top, while the 2013 Amarone Riserva Monte Danieli anchors the serious end. The gap between those two poles is real, and guests who want a mid-tier red without Amarone weight have one middle option — the Ripasso — to bridge the jump.
Glass pour data wasn't available during our visit, so we can't confirm what's pouring by the glass versus bottle only. Given the list's tight structure, don't be surprised if your options by the glass are limited to one or two selections. Ask your server before you commit.
2021 Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso — null
The Ripasso is the sweet spot on this list — dried-fruit richness and enough body to stand up to the Dirty Steak without asking you to drop Amarone money. It bridges the casual and serious ends of the list cleanly, and Ripasso is chronically underordered in American restaurants, which means staff turnover rarely dents the bottle quality.
2016 Amarone Crosara de le Strie
Sitting in the shadow of the flashier 2013 Riserva, this 2016 from Crosara de le Strie is the one worth grabbing. It's at a drinking window sweet spot — old enough to have shed the primary fruit weight, young enough to still have structure. Most tables will default to the Riserva because 'older is better' logic, but this is the more interesting glass right now.
Carpene Malvolti Prosecco
Carpene Malvolti is perfectly fine Prosecco — it's also widely distributed and available for well under $20 retail. At restaurant markup it's hard to justify when the serious bottles on this list are the actual reason to open your wallet here.
2013 Amarone Riserva Monte Danieli + Dirty Steak
Amarone and a charred, aggressively seasoned steak is not a subtle pairing — it's a statement. The Riserva's dried cherry concentration and iron-edged tannins match the char and fat of the Dirty Steak without either side blinking. Save it for a special occasion and order the steak medium-rare.
The Bottom Line
Al Forno's wine list is as singular and opinionated as the restaurant itself — narrow regional focus, aged Amarone as the headline act, and not much room for wanderers. If you're eating here for the grilled pizza and baked pasta, the Ripasso gets the job done; if you're here to celebrate, the Amarone earns its place on the table.
· 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.
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