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 →
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.
The Strip · Las Vegas · Japanese
Order the $21 glass of Kirinzan Junmai Ginjo, or the $50 Signature Flight if you want three saké side by side. If you prefer wine, the Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin at $62 by the Coravin glass is the pour to look for. Confirm availability and prices, since the list is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks list, not service, storage or markups.
The Strip · Las Vegas · Steakhouse
Try the $60 half bottle of Cristom Pinot Noir or ask about the $60 Kerner, the lowest full-bottle price, or order the Azelia Barolo at $270 with the Dry Aged New York. Confirm vintages and prices, since the list is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or retail markups.
West Las Vegas · Las Vegas · Italian
Order the Franco Serra Barbera d'Asti at $11 a glass or the Murgo Etna Rosso at $14, and ask about the Sommelier Selections flight if you want to taste three wines. Confirm today's list and prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or retail markups.
The Strip · Las Vegas · Steakhouse & Seafood
Joe's backs a 24-wine glass list with a bottle list that reaches collector Bordeaux and Burgundy. Order the $12 Zuccardi Serie A Malbec by the glass, or the $55 Cahors by the bottle with the 16 oz Rib Eye, and try the $100 A.F. Gros Moulin-à-Vent if you want a lighter red. The list's pages are dated 9/25/2026 and 10/2/2026, so confirm availability. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
The Strip · Las Vegas · Japanese
Start with the $17 Vouvray Chenin Blanc by the glass, or spend $40 on the Faiveley Mercurey with the Duck on the Rock. Prices come from the Wine Book dated 6.20.2026 and a dinner menu dated 11.26.2025, so confirm what is available. This unrated guide covers the posted wine book, not service, storage or retail markups.
Las Vegas Strip · Las Vegas · American, European
This list leans on California Cabernet, with a few exits. Order the Justin Cabernet at $19.95 a glass if you want a California Cabernet without the 44.95/62.95 Caymus glass price, or take the Ontañón Rioja at 91 a bottle if you want a break from California. If you are doing the tasting menu, the restaurant pairs its Beef Wellington with Caymus Cabernet. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups, and the linked beverage PDF is labeled Winter 2025, so confirm availability and prices.
Downtown · New Haven · Italian
Villa Lulu is a genuinely appealing Italian restaurant with food worth showing up for — Branzino Puttanesca and Squid Ink Linguini are the kind of dishes that deserve a decent Sicilian white alongside them. The wine program has the right regional bones, but until they put a real list online, we're recommending the restaurant with a side of cautious optimism on the wine. Ask your server what's on by the glass, and keep an eye out for that half-price wine promotion if it's still running — unconfirmed, but worth asking about.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Fresno · Italian
Oggi Caffe is a solid neighborhood Italian restaurant where the wine list does its job without doing anything particularly interesting. The Napa-Tuscany focus is predictable but dependable, and at a $25–$45 entree range the bottle prices are likely to feel steep relative to what you're getting. Go for the homemade pasta and the atmosphere — and if wine matters to you, ask what's open by the glass before committing to a bottle.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Wayne · Italian
Salvatori's West isn't trying to be a wine destination and it's not pretending otherwise — the list is short, familiar, and priced fairly, which is more than a lot of neighborhood Italian spots manage. The by-the-glass program is legitimately strong for a 21-label list. If you want discovery, look elsewhere; if you want a solid bottle of Malbec with your lasagna without feeling robbed, this works.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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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