Sacramento's Italian Wine Obsession, Fully Justified
Sacramento · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Allora’s wine list and gave it The Rager — 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 Allora hits like a love letter to the Italian peninsula — and it means it. With 250-400 selections anchored in Italy and Greece, this isn't a list assembled by a corporate beverage director ticking boxes; it reads like someone actually cares. The Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator (held since 2020) isn't just wall décor here — you feel it the moment you open the book.
Italy is the obvious star: Barolo from Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa, Brunello from Biondi-Santi and Poggio di Sotto, Amarone from Dal Forno Romano — these are not filler names. The southern Italian story is equally strong, with Feudi di San Gregorio's Greco di Tufo and Fiano di Avellino alongside Sicilian stalwarts Planeta and Donnafugata. The Greek chapter — Assyrtiko from Domaine Sigalas and Gaia Wines — is the kind of curated detour that separates a real list from a restaurant that just Googled 'Italian wine.' Super Tuscans like Sassicaia and Tignanello show up if you want to flex, but the depth in the cellar classics is where Allora earns its reputation.
Twenty to thirty-five by-the-glass options is a serious program — most Sacramento restaurants half-heartedly pour six. Prices run $12–$25 a glass, which is fair for the caliber of producers on the list. We'd love to see more rotation and a clearer signal about what's pouring on any given night, but the range is there if you're willing to ask.
Donnafugata (Sicilian selection) — $45–$55 per bottle (est.)
Donnafugata reliably overdelivers at its price point — rich, expressive Sicilian character without the Brunello tax. At a list that skews toward prestige bottles, this is where the everyday drinker wins.
Greco di Tufo, Feudi di San Gregorio
Most tables at an Italian restaurant reflexively order Pinot Grigio. Don't. This Campanian white has the kind of mineral snap and texture that makes you rethink everything you assumed about Italian whites — and almost nobody orders it.
Sassicaia
Iconic? Yes. Worth what you'll pay at restaurant markup on a bottle that's already priced as a trophy wine at retail? Rarely. Unless it's a special occasion and you're committed to the splurge, your money works harder almost anywhere else on this list.
Assyrtiko, Domaine Sigalas + Branzino
Sigalas Assyrtiko from Santorini brings volcanic minerality and citrus edge that cuts right through the richness of roasted branzino without overwhelming it. It's the kind of pairing that feels obvious in retrospect and brilliant in the moment.
The Bottom Line
Allora is quietly doing some of the most serious Italian and Greek wine work in Sacramento, backed by a knowledgeable team and a cellar that punches well above the city's weight class. If you care about what's in your glass, this is the room to be in.
· Sacramento · Wine bar
Nine Spanish wines, fair prices, and zero apologies — The Nook is a wild card worth taking. If you want a broad international list, look elsewhere; if you want a focused, confident program that actually knows what it's doing, pull up a stool.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sacramento · Italian
Aiona's wine list is doing more than most Italian restaurants would dare — global picks, fair glass prices, and a genuine point of view that rewards curious drinkers. Send a friend here and tell them to ignore the obvious choices.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sacramento · French cafe / wine bar
Franquette is what happens when someone who actually cares about wine opens a small café and refuses to phone in the list. Ten bottles, nine by the glass, all French (almost), fairly priced — send your friends here and tell them to order the Crémant first.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Sacramento · Cocktail Bar / Irish-Influenced Bar with Snacks
The Snug is a cocktail bar first and a wine destination never — but for what it is, the wine list is shockingly well-curated and worth exploring if you're the one at the table who doesn't want a Negroni. Don't come here for a deep wine night; do come here knowing the glass of Gamay you order between cocktails will be better than it has any right to be.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Midtown · Sacramento · New American, seasonal farm-to-table
Mulvaney's is doing something genuinely unusual for Sacramento: serious grower Champagne and left-field regional picks in a converted firehouse that doesn't take itself too seriously. If you eat here and order the house red without looking at this list, that's on you.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Sacramento · Seafood
Scott's Seafood is a safe, solid choice for a riverfront dinner where you want to pop some bubbles without thinking too hard — just don't come here expecting the wine list to match the view. Stick to the sparkling section and you'll leave happy.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · Italian
Porto by Antonio delivers a credible Italian-forward wine list with genuine high points — Promis, Barbaresco, Brunello — and a by-the-glass program that actually gives people choices. Markups get aggressive at the top, and the Caymus pricing is frankly embarrassing, but if you stick to the Italian core and the smart mid-range picks, you'll drink well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Toledo · Italian
Zia's isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's trying harder than most Italian spots in Toledo — fair prices, a mostly by-the-glass program, and enough Italian producers to keep things honest. Go for the Antinori, order the Riesling to impress your date, and leave Castle Rock for the grocery run.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McKinney · Italian
Bravo! is a competent chain wine program — wide by-the-glass selection, a few Italian producers worth noting, and prices that are steep but not insulting. You're not coming here for the wine list, but you won't regret ordering either.
Crowd Pleasers
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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