Tiny list, big swings, zero apologies
Downtown · Santa Barbara · Wine bar with Italian-style small plates · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Aperitivo Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Twenty labels. That's it. In a world of bloated wine lists that mistake length for quality, Aperitivo walks in with a tight edit and dares you to trust it. The room is small and European-casual, and the list matches — no filler, no obvious crowd-pleasers dropped in to comfort the nervous.
Italy anchors the list, but this isn't a checklist of Barolo and Pinot Grigio — it's Istine Chianti Classico, Emidio Pepe Montepulciano, and a Castello di Verduno Pelaverga that most wine bars wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. France shows up with purpose too: Remi Jobard Aligoté, a Domaine Tessier Burgundy Chardonnay, and Benoit Marguet Champagne signal that someone here actually knows what they're doing. The Whitcraft Lagrein from Central Coast is the lone local rep and it's a genuinely interesting call — Lagrein in California is practically a novelty. The gaps are real (no Rosé, thin on reds outside Italy), but what's here is curated with conviction.
Six pours running $14–$17 keeps things accessible without feeling cheap. We'd want to know what's rotating on glass, because with only 20 labels total, the by-the-glass program lives and dies by whoever is pulling corks that week. At these prices in Santa Barbara, you're not getting gouged — and landing something like the Guímaro Mencía by the glass would be a genuine score.
Guímaro Mencía Ribeira Sacra 2022 — $56
Ribeira Sacra Mencía at this price point is a steal anywhere in the country — granite-driven, lighter-bodied red that punches well above its bottle price. This is the move.
Castello di Verduno Pelaverga 2021
Pelaverga is one of Piedmont's most obscure grapes and almost nobody orders it. It's pale, peppery, and electric — the kind of wine that makes you feel like you discovered something. You basically did.
Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Emidio Pepe is a legendary producer and $280 isn't outrageous for what it is — but without retail pricing to benchmark the markup and no fine-dining context to justify opening it here, this is a bottle best saved for a place that can give it the ceremony it deserves.
Istine Chianti Classico Sangiovese 2022 + Charcuterie and cheese board
Sangiovese's natural acidity and savory edge were basically engineered to cut through cured meat fat and match the salt of aged cheese. It's not a clever pairing — it's just correct.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Aperitivo is doing something genuinely rare: a small, honest, well-chosen wine list in a low-pressure room where the weird bottles are the point. If you trust the list and let go of the urge to order something familiar, you will drink well here.
Montecito · Santa Barbara · Italian
Tre Lune isn't trying to reinvent anything — it's a well-loved Montecito Italian with a wine list that earns its Wine Spectator nod and leans intelligently on Margerum's local chops. Send a friend here knowing the wine will be fairly priced and thoughtfully chosen, even if the excitement ceiling is comfortable rather than thrilling.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Santa Barbara · New American / California Cuisine
Finch & Fork is a reliable pour in a great wine region — the list champions its Santa Barbara backyard with real conviction, even if the markups occasionally make you wince. Send a friend here if they want to drink local and drink well; just steer them toward the Foxen and away from the M5.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Santa Barbara · Italian Pizzeria
Ca' Dario Pizzeria isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the list does its job, the prices are fair, and the Santa Barbara rosé alone justifies looking past the cocktail menu. Send a friend here if they want solid Italian wine with their pizza and zero fuss.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waterfront / Cabrillo Blvd · Santa Barbara · Italian Steakhouse
Ca' Dario Steakhouse is a reliable wine destination for anyone who wants serious Italian bottles with their steak without having to navigate a 300-label monster list. The markups trend steep, especially on the celebrity bottles, but the Santa Barbara Syrah and Sicilian options give value-hunters a legitimate path.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waterfront / East Beach · Santa Barbara · Contemporary Oaxacan and Mexican
Flor De Maiz isn't a wine destination, but it's a Wild Card in the best sense — a waterfront Oaxacan spot that took the time to build a small, thoughtful list with local producers and a genuine Mexican anchor. Come for the mole, stay for the Barden Brut Rosé.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Public Market / Downtown · Santa Barbara · Thai and Taiwanese-inspired noodle bar
Empty Bowl is a genuinely excellent noodle bar that deserves a better wine program than this — come for the Khao Soi, grab a sake, and don't let the wine list talk you into a $36 Chardonnay. The kitchen is working hard; the wine list is not.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.