Italy's Greatest Hits, Off The Strip
Las Vegas · Las Vegas · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 17, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Amari Italian Kitchen & Wine Shop’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 Amari, the wine shop component immediately signals this isn't a restaurant that treats wine as an afterthought. The list reads like a love letter to the Italian peninsula — tight, focused, and clearly assembled by someone who actually cares. In a city where most restaurant wine lists are 80% California Cab and 20% Malbec, this place feels like a minor miracle.
The list runs 150-250 bottles deep and stays almost entirely Italian, which is exactly the right call when your kitchen is this focused. Piedmont is well-represented with Barolo producers doing the heavy lifting, and Tuscany shows up strong with Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico Riserva, and the big-name Super Tuscans like Sassicaia and Tignanello for those who want to flex. Amarone della Valpolicella rounds out the northeast corner, and a Pinot Grigio delle Venezie gives lighter drinkers something honest to hold onto. The gaps are real — no serious southern Italian depth, and the French and New World crowd will need to look elsewhere — but that's a feature, not a bug.
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass is genuinely impressive for a neighborhood spot this size, and the $10–$20 price range keeps things accessible without bottoming out on quality. We'd want to know how frequently those pours rotate, but the sheer count suggests they're not just running house Pinot Grigio and calling it a day. If the kitchen is pouring Chianti Classico Riserva by the glass, that alone is worth the trip.
Chianti Classico Riserva — $45
Chianti Classico Riserva at a fair price point is the sweet spot on any Italian list — structured enough for the osso buco, food-friendly enough for almost everything else on the menu, and rarely marked up to absurdity here.
Pinot Grigio delle Venezie
Everyone sleeps on a good Pinot Grigio delle Venezie because the category gets drowned out by mediocre supermarket versions. At Amari, where the Italian sourcing is clearly taken seriously, this is the low-key move for a light, crisp pour before the pasta arrives.
Sassicaia
Sassicaia is a genuinely great wine, but it's also one of the most widely distributed Super Tuscans on the planet — you're paying a significant premium for a bottle you could find at any serious wine shop. Save the budget for something you can't easily drink at home.
Brunello di Montalcino + Osso buco
Brunello is built for exactly this — long-braised, deeply savory meat with enough fat and collagen to hold up against serious tannin and acidity. The wine's earthy, dried cherry character mirrors the richness of the braise without flattening it.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Amari earns its Wine Spectator nod by doing one thing exceptionally well: taking Italian wine seriously in a city that mostly doesn't. If you're west of the Strip and craving a proper bottle with your housemade pasta, this is your place.
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
Las Vegas · Las Vegas · Italian
La Strega is doing something genuinely unusual for a Las Vegas neighborhood Italian: serving serious wine at prices that don't require an expense account, backed by a sommelier who knows what she's doing. Tuesday half-price wine night is not a gimmick — it's a reason to rearrange your week.
Solid Range
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Las Vegas Strip · Las Vegas · Italian
Caramella is a better wine stop than its lounge-y Strip pedigree would suggest — the Italian selections alone make it worth a serious look. The Thursday half-price night is the real unlock; that's when this list goes from steep to genuinely exciting.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
The Strip · Las Vegas · Spanish
é is a Wild Card in the most literal sense — a nine-seat secret room inside a casino that takes Spanish wine more seriously than most dedicated wine bars. If you're eating here, you're already spending money; lean into the list and let Chris So point you somewhere unexpected.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
The Strip · Las Vegas · Japanese
Wakuda isn't a wine destination in the way a dedicated wine bar is, but it's doing something genuinely interesting — pairing a focused, high-quality California-and-Burgundy list with Japanese cuisine that actually rewards that combination. If you're eating here, drink the wine; Luis Guillen knows what he's doing.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Canton · Canton · Italian
Lucca Downtown is doing more with wine than most restaurants in Canton, and the Italian backbone of the list gives it a coherent identity. It's not a destination wine program, but it's a solid companion to a well-priced dinner — just steer clear of the California detours.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Overlake / SE Redmond · Redmond · Italian
Tropea is the kind of neighborhood Italian spot where the wine list does its job without breaking any new ground — reliable, Italian-focused, and slightly overpriced in spots. Send a friend here who wants a solid Brunello with their pasta, not a friend who wants to be surprised.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Italian
Sugo's all-by-the-glass format is a genuine differentiator in Atlanta's Italian dining scene — fair prices, thoughtful Italian regionality, and enough variety to reward the curious without overwhelming the table. Send a friend here if they want to explore Italian wine without the commitment of a bottle.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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