Italy's Greatest Hits, Strip-Side, Done Right
Las Vegas Strip · Las Vegas · Italian, Regional · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 17, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Balla Italian Soul’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Balla, the wine list feels like someone actually gave a damn — Italy front and center, California riding shotgun, and a sommelier on staff who can actually talk you through it. For a hotel restaurant on the Strip, that's already beating expectations. The mood is warm and lively, not stuffy, which matches a list built for drinking rather than impressing investors.
The Italian backbone is serious: Barolo from Piedmont, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone, and a Super Tuscan section that goes straight for the heavy hitters with Sassicaia and Tignanello on the shelf. Chianti Classico Riserva and Alto Adige Pinot Grigio round out the range for those who want elegance without the prestige markup — or at least, less of it. Sicily gets a seat at the table too, with Nero d'Avola bringing something darker and more interesting than your standard Italian-American restaurant fare. The California side leans into Napa Cab and Sonoma/Santa Barbara Pinot Noir, which is predictable but well-chosen, and it gives the list real crossover appeal for guests who haven't made the Italian leap yet.
Twelve to twenty pours puts Balla well above the average Strip restaurant BTG program, and at $12–$20 a glass there's room to explore without committing to a full bottle. We'd love to see more rotation here — the list reads like it was set and hasn't changed much since opening — but what's there is quality, and having Jordan Garcia around to point you toward the right glass makes a real difference.
Nero d'Avola (Sicily) — $40–$60 (bottle estimate)
Sicilian reds are chronically underpriced relative to their quality, and on a list dominated by Piedmont and Tuscany prestige plays, Nero d'Avola stands out as the bottle that drinks well above its price point. Rich, dark, and built for the beef short rib.
Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige
Most people see Pinot Grigio and mentally clock out — but Alto Adige is the region that proves how wrong that instinct is. Mineral-driven, crisp, and nothing like the flat stuff at airport bars. Order it with the grilled octopus and recalibrate your assumptions.
Sassicaia (Super Tuscan)
Sassicaia is a great wine, no argument there. But on a Strip hotel list it carries every layer of prestige markup imaginable, and you're paying for the name more than the glass. Unless someone else is buying, your money works harder elsewhere on this list.
Barolo (Piedmont) + Beef Short Rib
Barolo's tannins and earthy depth are built for braised, fatty beef — it's one of those combinations that feels like it was designed rather than discovered. The short rib at Balla is the dish that earns the big red, and Piedmont delivers.
The Bottom Line
Balla punches above its weight class for a Strip hotel restaurant — a focused Italian list, a real sommelier, and enough depth to reward the curious. The markups sting, as they always do in this zip code, but the program earns its Wine Spectator nod and then some.
Caesars Palace · Las Vegas · French Fine Dining
This is where you come when wine matters as much as the food. The markup is Vegas-steep, but the cellar is world-class and the staff can navigate it. If you're celebrating big or chasing rare French bottles, this is the room.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· 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
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