Cincinnati's Italian wine anchor, quietly overdelivering
Hyde Park · Cincinnati · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Al-Posto Ristorante’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
Walking into Al-Posto, the wine list lands with the kind of quiet confidence that doesn't need to shout. It's an Italian-forward card built around real producers — not the usual suspects you find laminated at every other red-sauce joint in town. For Hyde Park, Cincinnati, this is genuinely surprising.
The 150-plus bottle list leans hard into Italy and doesn't apologize for it — Barolo from Piedmont, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone, and a Super Tuscan section that includes Sassicaia and Tignanello, which are names that belong on a list twice this size. California Cabernet gets a respectable nod for the Napa crowd, and lighter whites like Pinot Grigio and Soave keep things accessible on the lower end. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2024 is well-earned — this is a focused, coherent list rather than a sprawling one, and focus usually wins. The only real gap is depth outside Italy and California; don't come looking for Burgundy or Rhône.
Somewhere in the 12-to-20 glass range, the by-the-glass program covers enough ground to make ordering a bottle optional rather than mandatory. Whitney Holtgrefe runs the floor wine program and her influence shows — the glass pours aren't just house-wine filler. We'd like to see more rotation, but what's there holds its own.
Soave — $35
At the entry point of the bottle list, a well-made Soave from the Veneto drinks way above its price tag alongside lighter pasta courses — and it's the kind of wine most tables skip in favor of something heavier. Their loss.
Amarone della Valpolicella
Everyone zeroes in on the Barolo and Super Tuscans, but the Amarone is the move. Big, dried-grape intensity that works beautifully against the richer dishes on the menu — and it tends to fly under the radar at a table full of Tignanello fans.
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
You're at an Italian restaurant with a sommelier who clearly knows her Piedmont from her Tuscany. Ordering California Cab here is like going to a ramen shop and ordering the sandwich — they'll make it, but you're missing the point and probably overpaying for the privilege.
Barolo (Ceretto or Gaja, Piedmont) + Osso buco
Barolo and braised veal shank is one of those combinations that exists for a reason. The wine's firm tannins and earthy depth cut through the richness of the marrow and slow-cooked meat without stepping on it. Order this. Don't overthink it.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Al-Posto is the kind of neighborhood Italian restaurant Cincinnati doesn't know it deserves — a genuinely thoughtful wine program anchored in real Italian producers, fairly priced, and guided by a sommelier who actually knows the list. Yes, send your friends here for wine.
Downtown · Cincinnati · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Cincinnati is a reliable, well-stocked steakhouse list that delivers exactly what it promises — big California reds, proper storage, and a bottle for every budget above $50. Just don't come expecting discovery; come expecting execution.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Over-the-Rhine · Cincinnati · Tapas / Mediterranean-inspired small plates
Abigail Street is a Wild Card because nobody walks into a tapas spot in OTR expecting Lebanese orange wines and Champagne from Bollinger — but here we are. The markup math on the tap program stings, but the top half of this list is doing real work and earns a recommendation.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North / Kenwood area · Cincinnati · New American / Grill & Wine Bar
Seasons 52 Cincinnati is a chain wine program that punches above its weight class on volume and actually tries — Monday half-price bottles are a legitimate reason to show up on a specific night. Just go in knowing this is a crowd-pleaser list, not a discovery list, and you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Mason · Cincinnati · West Coast–style American (brunch-focused cafe)
Maplewood Mason isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the list is fair, accessible, and has just enough personality (Stolpman, Jezebel Blanc) to keep it from being totally forgettable. If you're here for brunch, grab a glass and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hyde Park · Cincinnati · Italian (housemade pasta, wood-fired pizza)
Forno Hyde Park is a reliable neighborhood wine program that doesn't embarrass itself — solid Italian range, reasonable glass pours, and a Wood-Down Wednesday deal that genuinely changes the math on the better bottles. The markups on everyday bottles are hard to ignore, but if you time it right and order smart, there's a real dinner here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Newport (Greater Cincinnati Riverfront) · Cincinnati · Seafood
Chart House delivers exactly what it promises: a reliable, unadventurous wine list in a spectacular waterfront setting. Come for the view and the lobster bisque — just don't expect the wine list to match the scenery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Myrtle Beach · Myrtle Beach · Italian
Gio's is a dependable neighborhood Italian with a wine list that covers the bases without taking many risks — and marks up the familiar names accordingly. If you steer toward the Italian bottles and away from the reflex Caymus order, there's a solid dinner to be had here.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Bellefonte · State College · Italian
Mamma Lucrezia's isn't a destination wine list, but the Wednesday half-price bottle deal changes the math considerably — suddenly that Joseph Phelps looks a lot more interesting. Show up any other night and manage expectations; show up Wednesday and order what you actually want.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Hilo · Hilo · Italian
Cafe Pesto isn't a wine destination, but it's a fair one — reasonable prices, an approachable list, and enough to keep the table happy while you focus on the view and the pizza. Send a friend here for the food and tell them to keep it simple on the wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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