Great Red Sauce, Forgotten Wine List
Fairmount · Atlantic City · Classic Italian-American Tavern · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 21, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Angelo's Fairmount Tavern’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Angelo's reads like a supermarket endcap circa 2009 — Kendall-Jackson, Sutter Home, La Marca. It's not offensive, exactly, but it tells you pretty clearly that wine is an afterthought here. The real stars are the red sauce and the history, and the list doesn't pretend otherwise.
Sixteen by-the-glass pours sounds generous until you realize the lineup is almost entirely entry-level commercial labels: Kim Crawford, Ruffino Lumina, Sterling Vintners Collection, Cigar Box Malbec. There's no real depth here — no Italian regional wines to match the kitchen, no Chianti, no Montepulciano, nothing from Campania or Sicily that might actually reflect what's on the plate. The international spread (New Zealand, California, Italy, Argentina) checks boxes without making any meaningful statement. At a restaurant serving linguine with clam sauce and veal parm, a Vermentino or even a basic Soave would be a revelation — but that's not the wine program Angelo's is running.
Sixteen options by the glass is a decent count, but the quality ceiling is low across the board. Prices are compressed between $8.50 and $9.50, which keeps things accessible, but there's no rotation or anything that feels curated. It's a static list — order what you know, because there's nothing here to discover.
La Marca Prosecco — $9
It's widely available retail for around $15 a bottle, so by the glass at roughly $9 it's not a steal, but it's the most food-friendly pour on the list. A glass with the seafood fra diavolo works better than anything heavier here, and you're not overpaying relative to the other options.
Blue Fish Riesling
Nobody orders Riesling at a red-sauce Italian joint, which is exactly why you should. It has the acidity and slight sweetness to stand up to spicy tomato-based dishes and cut through rich cream sauces. Most tables will walk right past it for the Pinot Grigio. Don't.
Sterling Vintners Collection Cabernet Sauvignon
At $23 a bottle — or roughly equivalent by the glass — you're paying 130% above retail for a mass-market California Cab that retails around $10. That's the worst markup on the list, and it's not a wine that earns the premium. There are better ways to spend your money here, including on dessert.
Ruffino Lumina Pinot Grigio + Linguine with Clam Sauce
Pinot Grigio and clam sauce is a cliché for a reason — the wine's crisp, light profile doesn't compete with delicate bivalves and white wine broth. Ruffino Lumina is nothing exciting on its own, but against a plate of linguine alle vongole at Angelo's, it does exactly what it needs to do.
The Bottom Line
Angelo's is a genuine Atlantic City institution, and you should absolutely go for the food. But come thirsty for nostalgia, not wine — this list is on cruise control, and the markups on the bottle side don't reward exploration.
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One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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