Italy's Greatest Hits, Off The Strip
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 →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
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 · 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
· West Palm Beach · Italian
Cafe Sapori's wine list is a reliable Italian-leaning companion — not adventurous, not cheap, but curated enough that the right picks reward you. Skip the Whispering Angel, dig into the Tuscans, and you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· College Station · Italian
Amico Nave is a reliable neighborhood Italian with a wine list that's serviceable but won't knock your socks off — great for a date night when the food is the star, less great if you're there for the wine. Order something Italian, keep it simple, and enjoy the room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Hartford · Italian
Geppetto is the kind of place where the wine list actually reflects the kitchen's point of view — Italy, seriously, without apology. It's not a destination wine program, but it's a trustworthy one, and in Torrington, that earns real points.
Solid Range
Fair
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
