Bobby Flay Goes Full Italian, Wins
Las Vegas Strip · Las Vegas · Mediterranean, Seafood
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 17, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Amalfi by Bobby Flay’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
Opening the wine list at Amalfi feels like someone actually thought hard about Italy — not just Pinot Grigio and Chianti Classico, but real depth from Campania to Sicily. For a Bobby Flay restaurant inside Caesars Palace, the ambition here is genuinely surprising. This isn't a celebrity chef phoning in a wine program.
The list leans hard into Italy and earns that focus — Antinori Tignanello anchors the Tuscan section, Gaja Barbaresco represents Piedmont at its most serious, and Mastroberardino Taurasi shows someone actually cares about southern Italy. Planeta Santa Cecilia and the Donnafugata Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria make a compelling case for Sicily, while Feudi di San Gregorio's Greco di Tufo and Livio Felluga's Collio Bianco fill out the white wine story with proper regional character. At 150-250 selections, this isn't the deepest cellar in Vegas, but the curation is sharper than most Strip lists twice its size. The gap is non-Italian options — if you want French or domestic, you're largely on your own.
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass is a generous program, and the range of $14-$30 suggests some real bottles are getting opened daily rather than just the commodity stuff. We'd want to know what's rotating through — a list this Italian-focused should be cycling in some of those southern producers on the by-the-glass side, not just the expected Tuscans.
Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo — $12-$30 glass range
Greco di Tufo is one of Italy's most underrated whites — mineral, structured, built for seafood — and it won't cost you a Barbaresco fortune. Order this with the branzino crudo and feel smart about it.
Donnafugata Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria
Most tables skip the dessert wine entirely. That's a mistake here. Ben Ryé is one of Italy's greatest sweet wines — apricot, honey, orange peel — made from Zibibbo grapes on a tiny volcanic island. It's not cheap, but it's a genuine experience most Vegas diners have never had.
Banfi Brunello di Montalcino
Banfi makes perfectly competent Brunello, but it's also one of the most widely distributed, heavily produced bottles on the market. On a Strip markup, you're paying a serious premium for something you can find anywhere. The Mastroberardino Taurasi is a better spend for serious Italian red territory.
Planeta Santa Cecilia + Lobster fra diavolo
Santa Cecilia is a dark, spice-driven Nero d'Avola from Sicily — bold enough to stand up to the heat and tomato of fra diavolo without steamrolling the lobster. It's the rare red that actually works with spicy shellfish, and both the wine and dish share that same sun-baked Mediterranean intensity.
The Bottom Line
Amalfi earns its Wine Spectator nod — the Italian focus is genuine, the producers are legit, and this is one of the better wine lists on the Strip for anyone who actually wants to drink Italian rather than just order something recognizable. Vegas markups will sting, but the list itself is worth engaging.
· Las Vegas · Restaurant
Lamaii is the rare Las Vegas restaurant where the wine list reflects a genuine point of view — the grower Champagne program alone is worth the visit. Send a friend here and tell them to order a Spécial Club.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Las Vegas Strip · Las Vegas · Steakhouse
STK Las Vegas is a bottle-list business masquerading as a wine program — three by-the-glass pours, a roster of safe California hits, and Vegas markups that'll make your eyes water. Order the Whispering Angel at happy hour, grab a bottle of Belle Glos if you're feeling generous, and save the real wine exploration for somewhere that cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Las Vegas · Restaurant
Diner Ross is doing something genuinely weird and kind of wonderful — a Champagne-forward list inside a Vegas diner is a wild card move that mostly works. Just don't show up expecting range beyond bubbles, and go for the growers before you default to the celebrity bottles.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Las Vegas · Steakhouse
The Palm Las Vegas is an unlikely wine discovery — a six-bottle natural and old-world-leaning list tucked inside a steakhouse institution, priced like someone forgot they're on the Strip. Don't sleep on it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Las Vegas Strip · Las Vegas · American, Italian
Alexxa's is a Strip restaurant doing Strip things — great location, recognizable bottles, pricing that reflects the real estate. If you're here for fountain views and a glass of Cakebread, you'll be genuinely happy; if you're hunting for value or adventure, look elsewhere.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Las Vegas Strip · Las Vegas · French, Mediterranean
LPM is a legitimate wine destination by Las Vegas Strip standards — the Burgundy-forward list has real bones, sommelier Karla Poeschel keeps it credible, and a newly minted Wine Spectator Award of Excellence confirms this isn't just hotel filler. Markups are what they are in this zip code, but the quality is there if you spend wisely.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Weehawken · Weehawken · Mediterranean, Seafood
Molos is the rare waterfront restaurant where the wine list earns genuine respect — not just for checking boxes, but for building a real Greek wine identity that most NYC-adjacent spots never bother with. The markup runs steep in places and there's no dedicated sommelier, but if you're here for grilled fish and a glass of Santorini white with that skyline in the background, it absolutely delivers.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
Lancaster · Lancaster · Mediterranean, Seafood
Gibraltar is doing something genuinely impressive in a market where wine programs often coast on autopilot — this list has teeth, the pricing is honest, and the food is built for it. If you're within an hour of Lancaster and care about what's in your glass, make a reservation.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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